Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun September 4, 1998 c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Copy Editor: Michael Kaiser Advertising Manager: Debbi Vickers (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: Barefoot Bay residents who neglected to pay their Recreation District maintenance fees for a year were in danger of losing their homes. As early as a month from the time they were warned, residents who were delinquent in paying the $36.50 monthly assess- ment on time, could be charged up to $10 in late fees for each month the as- sessments were not paid. Because the assessment fees were the malor source of funds used by the district to maintain the park’s facilities and repay the $8.4 mil- lion loan the district took out with Barn- eff Bank of Central Florida, a new law was put into place to make sure the funds were collected. After only one year from the time the first installment becomes delinquent, the district could foreclose on the property in the usual mortgage-foreclosure proceeding. CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Carlos Paez. AGE: 62. OCCUPATION: Salesman at Main Street Hardware. BIRTHPLACE: Cuba. MOVED HERE: 1992. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Member of Vero Beach Church of God, Sebas- tian Chamber of Commerce Ambassa- dor. HOBBIES: Fishing. FAVORITE AUTHOR: Shake- speare. WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBOR- HOOD: I live in Sebastian Highlands. We moved here because of the tranquil- lity and because it looked like the little town we used to live in. Everyone is very friendly. When she was little, my daugh- ter could play in the neighborhood, and the schools are very good. WEEKEND PICKS The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Micco Volunteer Fire Department is planning its annual Labor Day Weekend Chicken Dinner from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the fire station, Sept. 6. For a donation of $4 in advance, $4.50 at the door, you will receive a de- licious cholesterol-free chicken dinner (fried in vegetable oil). Take out orders are available. Volunteer firemen and Ladies’ Auxil- iary members are selling tickets in ad- vance. WHAT DID HE SAY? “They maintained the weir like a Rube Goldberg job.” — Paul Alberta Alberta, a Barefoot Bay resident, made the remark during a workshop meeting of the board of trustees in refer- ence to former owners, Avatar, and the need to maintain the community’s canal system. Sebastian Water Guard stands watch over health of our river By LINDA ROThSTEIN Of The Sun Every week, Sebastian Highlands resi- dent Rick Brust goes to Lake Hardee Park to gather water from the Sebastian River. Later, usually during the weekend, Brust performs a number of analyses on the water, including tests for salinity, dissolved oxygen and nitrate levels. After he collects the data, he sends it to Cinny Rozier, the curriculum coordinator at the Brevard Teaching and Research Labs in Palm Bay. “By looking at these tests, you can get an idea of the health of the water," Brust said. As a scientist, Brust is fascinated by wa- ter resource issues. So much so that he mi- nored in the subject at the University of Wis- consin. As a waterfowl biologist with the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, he’s also interested in the flora and fauna that depends upon the health of the Sebastian River. As a resident of Sebastian, a nature-lover and a father, Brust is concerned about the quality of the water. That’s why, for about a year now, Brust has performed these experiments on the wa- ter of the Sebastian River as a volunteer with the Sebastian Water Guard. “Water is becoming more and more pre- cious,” Brust said. Photo Caption Volunteer Rick Brust demonstrates how he collects and preserves water samples for the Sebastian Water Guard water monitoring project. Partially funded by the U.S. Environ- mental Protection Agency through the Clean Water Act, the Sebastian Water Guard is just one example of several volunteer initiatives across the state that regularly monitor the quality of vital local waterways. The Sebastian River is particularly vital because it runs into the Indian River Lagoon and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean. “Because the Sebastian River empties into the Indian River Lagoon and the Indian River Lagoon empties into the ocean, we want to keep the quality up (in the Sebastian River)," Rozier said. “It’s a trickle-down ef- fect.” According to Brust, the Sebastian River and the Indian River Lagoon support one of the most diverse animal and plant popula- tions in the world. And at the very root of that diversity lies the quality of the supporting bodies o wa- ter. “Most of the plants and animals around here depend on £he wetlands,” Brust said. "They depend on the amount and the quality of the water. The water must be healthy to support the waterfowl and what they feed on." When the quality of that water is de- stroyed or even unbalanced, it can set off a chain reaction that could eventually devastate the ecosystem. “If the water is gone, it can de- stroy the whole ecosystem," Brust said. The Brevard Teaching and Research Labs, an arm of the Florida Science Institute, began the Sebastian Water Guard more than a year ago under the direction of Carmen Wieher. The object of the volunteer group is to gather baseline data, so the normal charac- teristics of the river can be discovered and monitored. The Sebastian Water Guard also works to educate the public on the impor- tance of maintaining the water quality of lo- cal waterways. After compiling about two years of base- line data, the Sebastian Water Guard should be able to determine what is normal for the river, and therefore be able to tell when such things as the phosphate levels are too high. "Data must be gathered for a year or two before we start to see trends such as what is the usual concentration of phosphates in a particular body of water,” Rozier said. After each year of data is compiled, the Sebastian Water Guard sends it to a number of state agencies, such as the St. John’s River Water Management District and the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, for use in their own studies. A report is also released in layman’s terms, so local residents can have access to the same information. The data also can be used by cities in de- veloping storm-water systems, Brust said, because storm-water runoff from industrial and residential sites has a direct effect on wa- ter quality. "Even though this is a local issue, if we get enough data, it can be a model for other communities,” Brust said. “It can help mu- nicipalities to develop sound, well-engi- neered storm-water systems.” And while many of these agencies ideally would want to gather this type of data them- selves, the amount of resources needed to conduct such weekly tests is just too expen- sive. “Agencies really need this data, but they don’t have the money to fund the studies," Rozier said. So more than a dozen Sebastian residents have taken on the responsibility themselves, monitoring 11 different sites on the Sebas- tian River, connecting canals and the Indian River Lagoon, every week between noon Wednesday and noon Thursday. The Sebastian Water Guard also hopes to educate local residents of how their ac- tions, no matter how slight, can affect water quality. A seemingly inconsequential thing such as overfertilizing a lawn can contribute to upsetting the delicate balance of the river, Brust said. Volunteers learn from Rozier how to analyze the water and record the data. Speakers at bimonthly meetings help educate Sebastian Water Guard members and local residents on issues such as biodiversity, storm-water treatment facility management and endangered species. “This is something I’m really interested in," Brust said. “And it’s kind of a fun thing. I also believe I’m doing something good for my community.” For more information about the Sebas- tian Water Guard, call Rozier at (407) 632-1111, ext. 22044. Life at Barefoot Bay can be entertaining BRENDA EGGERT BRADER For The Sun With visions of a new season swirling in their heads, excitement is bullding as the Barefoot Bay entertainment committee gets a head start on packing the first four months with entertainment for residents and their guests. Paula Higgins, chairwoman of the enter- taininent committee of the Barefoot Bay Homeowners Association (who also wears the first vice president and chairman of the executive board hats) is organizing festivities so no resident has an excuse to sit at home on the weekend. Launching the season will be an old-fashioned Labor Day weekend celebra- tion, Higgins said. The weekend will begin with the follow- ing events: today Kiwanis bingo, 7 to 11 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to noon, a flea market at the Community Center Building A; Satur- day 2 to 3 p.m. a synchronized swimming group from Melbourne; and Saturday 7 to 10 p.m. a dollar dance featuring a guitarist and disc jockey at the Commianiry Center Building A. “The community center is the large building that everyone can see as they first come into the park and go around the lake,” Higgins said. "That’s where most all the events here are held.” Sunday events will continue the weekend of entertainment with the auxiliary of the Micco Fire Department hosting a chicken dinner at the fire hall from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Even though that isn’t in Barefoot Bay, we want to have people aware that it is tak- ing place,” Higgins said. "That evening, 7 to 10, a dance extrava- ganza will consist of every dance group that regularly meets at the bay putting on a dem- onstration of its particular form of dance,” Higgins said. “Those to be included are the Spinners, Twirlers, Happy Hoofers, Rosettes, Smoothies ballroom dancers,” Higgins said~ “Hopefully, we will get a comedy skit from the Barefoot Bay Little Theatre. A quartet from the BayTones is planned.” Those attending the event can see what each dance group has to offer and perhaps take an. interest in joining. Monday at 8 a.m., unveiling of the 50 state flags by the veterans of Barefoot Bay will take place along Veterans Way. From 8 to 11 a.m., a pancake breakfast will be held at the Community Center Building A. “From 2 to 5 p.m. all candidates from all parties running for offices and the recreation district board of trustees will attend a politi- cal candidates and issues forum at the Com- munity Center Building A,” Higgins said. In the evening from 5 to 9, a pool party featuring Sammie Angel, of Melbourne, a keyboardist and singer, will be held. The event will inclwle dancing. Food consisting of the famous belly-buster hot dogs and hamburgers will be served. Photo Caption A group of square dancers from Barefoot Bay swirl and twirl in the Community Center. The group is among several various themed dance clubs offering entertainment this season. The season will continue with several birthday-anniversary dances on the third Saturday of each month, Higgins said. On Sept. 19, the birthday-anni- versary dance theme will be “School Daze,” with Ernie Muro and his Diplomats providing the music. On Oct. 17, the birthday-anni- versary dance theme will be “Mas- querade,” with the Bob Dale Duo providing the music; Nov. 21 the dance theme will be “Homecoming Weekend: Barefoot University,” and Dec. 19 the dance theme will be “Christmas in the South.” On Nov. 26, the regular Thanks- giving family dinner dance will be 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Ed Hornyak will provide the dance music. “The event includes Thanksgiv- ing dinner with background music and some dancing,” Higgins said. “It is a thing we do here at Barefoot Bay each year. “And then, of course, we are going to have a big New Year’s Eve Dance,” she said. On Dec. 31, dance music will be provided by the New Las Vegas Or- chestra, which includes a Bay musi- cian, playing from 9 p.m. to mid- night. A catered breakfast will be served at midnight. “We may have another dance; but I don’t know just when it will be in the fall,” she said. “I want to have a country-western dance. “Projections for the remainder of the season have been roughed out on a calendar, but nothing is definite yet,” Higgins said. Those plans will be shared at a later date. Shear Images a 12-year institution in Sebastian SHELLEY CANUPP For The Sun Photo Caption Shear Images customer Elise DeLoach, of Micco, admires the handiwork of hairdresser Sharon York as Taylor Gray, 7, of Barefoot Bay, looks on. Before the new Sebastian Wal-Mart, before flowers bloomed in our medians and before more than 15,000 people lived in our commu- nity, there was Shear Images beauty salon. It was one of a handful of shops where dad could get a trim, mom a set or perm, teen-agers the latest thing, and grandparents stopped to brag about the grandchildren. You can still find hairdos and community news at Shear Images, though most folks don’t have the time to just sit and chat unless some- one is trimming the hair on their head. The shop — at 1559 U.S.1 — has been beautifying folks for almost 12 years, under the watchful eye of owner Janet Cristofori, 35, of Sebas- tian. “We’ve always had a family at- mosphere,” Cristofori said. “People feel very comfortable here.” The shop is one of many hug- ging U.S. 1 between County Road 512 and Wal-Mart. Visible to pass- ers-by, newcomers often stop in with questions, or to comment on Sebas- tian’s unique small-town ambiance. “A lot of people say they like the river and the fishing,” said stylist Sue Troisi, of Sebastian. “They like our quiet little town.” Upon entering Shear Images, visitors will be impressed with the striking black and white decor and the very friendly smile of receptionist Pat Kuhn. “Welcome to Shear Images!” she says. And she means it. Kuhn credits Cristofori for keep- ing the shop in tip-top shape over the years. It’s become a "pleasant place” where people can escape their problems, she said. Stylist Mara Swatek agreed. “We’re good listeners,” she said. But these days, when people drive farther than they once did to go to work or go shopping, fewer folks have hours to while away in conversation. However, they love to chat while getting their hair done. “I guess it’s because we’re con- cerned about people,” Kuhn said, noting that this is why they don’t let her near the scissors! She laughs a hearty laugh. In addition to haircuts, perms, colors and body waxing, the shop sells shampoo, conditioner and sprays. A large array of magazines gives customers a choice of reading mater- ial while they sit under the dryer or wait for their stylist to finish up the previous customer. To most folks, it provides an op- portunity to discover why Demi and Bruce broke up or how the ham- burger diet can help you lose 30 pounds. In the back of the shop is a store- room where Cristofori stashes her lo- tions and potions. There’s a huge hair-coloring area, filled with rows and rows of bottles — from Titian Red to Expresso to Irish Creme, Va- nilla and even Banana. Mixing the colors to accurately match the client’s complexion while considering their age is the trick, Swatek said. For example, you wouldn’t want a very dark color, such as Expresso, on an elderly per- son. As you age, you go lighter, she said. The seven stylists at Shear Images transform about 2,080 heads a year. Most are repeat customers, but still, that’s 14,560 hairdos! “You find a good place and you stick with it,” Kuhn said. The stylists agreed, although they all have what they call “shop hoppers” — those customers who aren’t always faithful to them. Why? Well, maybe Troisi has the answer displayed at her station: “I’m a beautician not a magician.” New head of Athletic Boosters seeks to boost club membership By Linda Rothstein Kevin Crowe, the new president of the Sebastian Athletic Booster As- sociation, knows he has big shoes to fill. Taking over the office from be- loved former president Cecil Ramsey is probably the hardest part of his new job, Crowe said. “I think there was a real need for someone to step in,” Crowe said. “But it is really a daunting situation coming in behind Cecil. Two-thirds of all the people who come to Sebas- tian River games know who he is. When someone works that hard, you kind of have to step up when you’re asked.” During his yearlong presidency, Ramsey helped stabilize the associa- tion financially and nearly doubled the membership, to about 160. But Crowe takes his cues from the active former president, listing among his goals enlarging the associ- ation to at least 200 members and implementing more projects to help the student-athletes of Sebastian River High School. “My biggest goal is to attract more members,” Crowe said. The most exciting project of Crowe’s yearlong presidency, which started in July, likely will be the en- dowment of a $2,500 scholarship for a deserving SRHS student-athlete. The board has already set aside the money in this year’s budget, and Crowe hopes to award the schol- arship near the end of the current school year. Photo Caption New Sebastian Athletic Booster Association president Kevin Crowe mans the SRHS concession stand with fellow board member Hyacinth Brown. "We took the step of including (the scholarship) in this year’s bud- get,” Crowe said. “And unless we have an unusual shortfall in funding, we’re going to be able to provide $2,500 this year." Crowe joined the board the year before his youngest son, senior cross-country runner Kevin Crowe, entered the school as a freshman. His wife, Kim, was the school’s cross-country coach, at the time, and Crowe wanted to support the high school’s athletic program as well. “My wife was a coach at the high school, and I think that stimulated my interest,” Crowe said. And like many of SABA’s mem- bers, Crowe plans to remain a mem- ber after Kevin graduates. As a third-year board member, Crowe is no stranger to the hours of work — such as manning the conces- sion stand and recruiting new mem- bers — expected of the president. “I think (the best part is) when it’s really busy and you’re in the con- cession stand or doing other things and there is a bond, a camaraderie of working with people of like minds and like goals,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun.” At the first football game of the season, Crowe joined the many vol- unteers who ran the concession stand and sold programs, parking and T-shirts to fans at the annual Kickoff Classic on Aug. 28. While the parents of student-ath- letes are the primary target members of the association, Crowe also wants to see more, involvement from area residents who don’t have children at the school. “Last year, we had a group of volunteers whose own children are out of the home,” Crowe said. “Those volunteers are kind of like our adopted alumni. They’re far away from their own high schools and come out because they’re inter- ested in what makes a school a school.” Crowe believes one of the most important SABA projects is paying half of the athletic trainer’s fee. Although the association cur- rently only pays half of the fee be- cause of rising costs, Crowe eventu- ally hopes to be able to pay the entire fee as the club has in the past. “I think everybody on the board would love to pay the full trainer’s fee,” Crowe said. “My son has been a beneficiary of the trainer, and I think every athlete has seen or talked to him at some point.” Although he wasn’t an athlete in high school or during his years as a student at the University of Central Florida, Crowe believes it is impor- tant for people to support whole- some activities for youngsters. That’s why he believes SABA shouldn’t be just an organization for parents of SRHS student-athletes, but for anyone interested in the wel- fare of children. “(Sports are) a good, wholesome activity for kids, and organizations that support children are important," Crowe said. “In this one, you can have beneficial effects on kids before bad things happen.” Birthdate: Aug. 19, 1954 Birthplace: Vero Beach, Fla. Education: University of Cen~ tral Florida. Family: wife, Kim; sons, Justin and Kevin. The best part of my job is: working with volunteers and other SABA members. What I like the least about my job is: making the phone calls. The person I admire the most is: my wife, Kim. The most recent movie I saw in a theater was: “Get Shorty.” The book I’d recommend every- one read is: books by William Faulkner. My favorite food is: Mexican. If I were going on a trip to the moon, I would take along: a lot of books. When I was growing up, I al- ways wanted to be: a Marine, and I was. The person I would most like to meet is: Carl Hiaasen. My proudest moment is: the birth of my sons. My favorite sports team is: the Miami Dolphins and the L.A. Dodg- ers. My favorite television show is: “Hardball” on CNBC. On my last vacation, I visited: North Carolina. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: make coffee. The type of music I enjoy the most is: classic rock. If I could do something over again, I’d: study harder in school. People who know me the best know: I don’t know how people perceive me. The most exciting time in my life was: right now. Local scores Sebastian Soccer Association Aug. 29 Under 6 Bill Doyle Rowdies Goals: Troy Lavender. Out- standing play: Aaron Ruiz. Im- proved Play: Conner D’Ambrosio. Jimmy’s Tree Service Goals: Matt Rouse, Eric Brierton 3. Outstanding Play: Jeremy Clark, Matt Rouse. Improved Play: Eric Brierton. Ken Puffick Buick-Cadillac Goals: William McCall 3, Matthew Block, Scorty Cairns. Outstanding Play: Cory Whelan, Carly Tucker, Zachary Anderson. Improved Play: Nicholas Nothof, Kelly Fischer. Photography By Michael Goals: Andy Hampton.Outstanding Play: Ashley Baker, Chandler Mon- nin, Andrew Messersmith. Improved Play: Ashley Keeney, Joseph Flescher, Brittany Nothof. American Alarm Outstanding Play: Timothy Hill. Improved Play: Kiya Burtis. Day Spring Goals: Sean Ferguson 4, Daniel Freesmier 2, Jenna Smith, Chad Reardin. Outstanding Play: Sean Ferguson, Aubrey Temple, Natalie Wolff. Improved Play: Matthew Mackie. All State Goals: Anthony Smith, Bradley Corum , Shane Bias. Outstanding Play: Mark Jones, Frankie Campi- one, Chase Jones. Under 10 HealthSouth Outstanding Play: Chris Lave- rick, Tori Vanbuskirk. Improved Play: Russell Murdock. Keith’s Oil Can Goals: Michael Block 2, Paul Mackie. Workman’s Mortgage Goals: Joseph Giancaspro. Out- standing Play: Ian Keith, Hayley Ih- nen, Kevin Christman. Improved Play: Corey Schaclit. Strnad Construction Goals: Kaitlin Bleakiey 2, Steven $trnad 2, Marcel Wolff 2, Catlin Brerton, Holly Barry. Outstanding Play: Chelsea Penner. Florida Eye Goals: Michael Ramos. Out- standing Play: Erica Schwarz, Jeuna Forbes. Improved Play: Jonathan Rogala. Under 14 First Union Goals: Sean Lavender 2, Neal Wetherald. Outstanding Play: Mi- chael Saraceni, Brian Mitchel, Richie Huff. Improved Play: Bruce Don- aldson, Devi Hausman. Local golf Sebastian Monday League Aug. 24: Two-golfer team quota. Flight A: John Kellough, Nick Cerro, plus 9. Jack Falke, Tony Zamparello, plus 8. George Bowers, Bud Trowbridge, plus 4. Bill Hig- don, Dave Johns plus 3. Flight B: Art Maas, Jack Cafrey plus 7. Ray Merritt, Bob Voelker, plus 4. Ed Meyer, Tom Wojo, plus 4. Duane Crocka, Bob Campbell, plus 4. Vic Jackson, Henry Meyer, plus 3. Gil Whitford, Gary McCo- mas, plus 3. Flight C: Bill Walsh, John Stan- ton, plus 10. Harry Halbert, Paul Hamilton, plus 7. Herb Beyea, Ray Petteys, plus 2. Henry McHale, Bill DeMeo, plus 1. Bill Fleming, Kate Fleming, plus 1. Sandy Thompson, Ann Melia, plus 1. Pin shots on No. 2, Tom Vala- chovic; on No. 5, Bob Voelker; on No. 8, Ann Melia; on No. 11, John Gilman; on No. 12, Bob Beebe; on No. 17, John Kellough. Sebastian Women’s Association Aug. 25: Nine blind holes. Flight A: 1st, H. Wangler 69. 2nd, 5. Keane 76. 3rd, 5. Thompson 80. 4th, E. Harding 81. Flight B: 1st, tie, J. Kellough, B. Petteys 73. 2nd, A. Melia 75. 3rd, K. Hanson 77. Flight C: 1st, tie, C. Whiteman, E. Roper 74. 2nd, tie, R. McHale, B. Zamaparello 78. Sebastian Men’s Assoc. Aug. 26: Two best balls on 1-6; three best balls on 7-12; one best ball on 13-18. Handicap 55-70: Tie, Bill Flem- ing, Vic Jackson, Dan Melia, Chuck Hobbs; George Bowers, Ed Canta- bene, Tom Casagrande, draw; Ber- nie Cotton, Jack Falke, Don La- ducer, Tony Zamparello -18. Handicap 71-85: Ray Merritt, Bob Voelker, Duane Crocka, Robert Campbell -19. John Kellough, David Johns, Nick Cerro, Joe Sinisalchi -15. Ed Snarski, Do~ Baker, Loi~ Maglione, Joe Clark -10. Handicap 86-up: Henry McHale, Tom Egan, Don DeMeo, John Waychowski -22. Vin Kirk, Bill Hamel, Ken Roth, Vein Bodker -18. Bill Smaliridge, Phil Roper, Ray Pet- teys, Harry Cherry -16. Local briefs Square dance club plans events The Spinners Square Dance Club has been dancing mainstream all summer on Thursdays at Building A in Barefoot Bay, from 12:45 to 2:45 p.m. Many special events are on their fun schedule. The Spinners, along with the Twirlers Square Dance Club, will be participating in the Labor Day activi- ties to be held in Barefoot Bay. The dancing demonstrations will be on Sept. 6, in Building A, from 7 p.m. on. Spectators are welcome at all our dances. A new class will begin Jan. 1. Italian Club plans flea market table The Barefoot Bay Italian Club will be at the big Labor Day celebration in Building A on Sept. 5 from 8 a.m. to noon. We will sell cakes and items for flea market tables. It’s not too late to donate a cake or items to be sold. Any donations will be greatly appre- ciated. The first monthly meeting will be held on Sept. 27 in the Building A pool area from 2 to 6 p.m. The club will host a cookout: hamburg- ers, franks, salads, beans, dessert, coffee with all the condiments. You are welcome to bring a salad for your group. Non-alcoholic beverages can be brought to the cookout. Cost is $2 for members and $3 for guests. Wear your badges please. Ticket sale dates are Sept. 14-15 in front of Building A patio. Tickets will be sold from 9-10:30 a.m. Cutoff date is Sept. 22. For fui-ther information, call 3294. The October meeting will feature a country western meal, more infor- mation to follow. BCC Planetarium announces schedule The Brevard Community Col- lege Astronaut Memorial Planetar- ium and Observatory’s September schedule features a variety of plane- tarium shows, laser shows and IWERKS movies. There are no public shows on Sundays and Mondays. On Tuesdays, “Amazing Uni- verse” is shown at 7 p.m. in the plan- etarium, and "The Great Barrier Reef" is shown at 8 p.m. in the IWERKS Theatre. There are no public shows on Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Fridays, “The Cowboy As- tronomer” is shown at 7 p.m. in the Planetarium. "The Great Barrier Reef" is shown at 8 p.m. in the IWERKS Theatre. "The Beatles La- ser Experience” is presented at 9 p.m., and "The Doors Laser Experi- ence” is presented at 10:30 p.m. On Saturdays, "The Cowboy As- tronomer” is shown at 7 p.m. in the planetarium. “The Great Barrier Reef" is shown at 8 p.m. in the IWERKS Theatre. "The U2 Laser Experience” is presented at 9 p.m., and "The Pink Floyd Laser Experi- ence” is presented at 10:30 p.m. Single show tickets are $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and students, and $2 for children 12 and younger. Combination tickets for planetar- ium show and movie are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and $4 for children age 12 and un- der. Laser show tickets are $5 per person. The BCC Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory is at the west end of Brevard Community College’s Cocoa Campus, 1519 Clearlake Road. For more information, call 634-3732. Commodore keeps steady hand on boat club’s helm BILL VALYO For The Sun Photo Caption Commodore Wally Kramer prepares for this year’s Christmas Boat Parade by making a list of potential participants and checking it twice. Kramer said more participants are needed and should give him a call at 664-5003. Ask Wally Kramer about boats and you get as much attention as his tractor and the plants in his garden. Wally has been commodore of the Captain Hiram’s Seafarers Club since last year, and he is revving up his engines full steam ahead for this year’s Christmas Boat Parade. The annual event, staged for six years now, has become a fixture on the Intracoastal Waterway. The club’s 50 members chip in and help the extravaganza get off the ground and into the water. Wally has been a Sebastian neighbor since he and his wife Ruby moved here in 1978 from Fort Lau- derdale. Before coming here, Wally worked for one of the largest boat canvas companies in the United States. He also owned a business that made canvas for all types of boats. While in Fort Lauderdale, Wally was active in the boating business and was president of the Marine In- dustry Association for two years. He also headed up the Fort Lauderdale boat show for two years. That event now has grown to become the larg- est boat show in the country. Wally became commodore of the Seafarers Club in 1977, taking over the reins from an active Bob Struck, another Sebastian neighbor. The club has 45 to 50 active members and has no connection to the Captain Hiram restaurant, al- though they generally use one of the eating places upstairs, the Tiffany Room, for their monthly meetings. Club membership comes from the surrounding Sebastian, Barefoot Bay and Micco areas. Loving the water seems to be a prerequisite for club members. They have taken projects on to help clean up the local waterways, do cleanup jobs on Canal 54 twice a year, and make one of the neighboring islands, No. 6, a cleaner place. Getting Wally to do this inter- view meant getting him out of his tree farm in Micco. He specializes in container trees. Sago palms and Lady Palms are specialties. You can’t talk more than a cou- ple of minutes to this 78-year-old dynamo before he switches the sub- ject to the Christmas Boat Parade. “We just have to get more peo- ple to put boats in the water this year,” he said. "The event is a tradi- tion, and we want the tradition to continue. “You don’t have to be a club member to put a boat in the water for the parade,” Kramer said. Last year, the event saw 19 boats displaying lights and decorations, getting oohs and aahs from the crowd who lined up near the river. Another subject close to Wally Kramer’s heart is the subject of more ramp space for all the boaters that have made this area their home. “Right now, it takes over one hour to get your boat in the water. We need more ramp space,” said the commodore. "There is a piece of land on the south side of the U.S. 1 bridge with all kinds of shoreline. We have talked to the Sebastian (City) Council about it, but nothing has been done.” Wally Kramer says that “he is too old to be getting these things done.” He wishes someone would pick up the ball and run with it. Right now, he is focusing on the moonlight cruise that the Seafarers will take on the Indian River. He may start the “rafting up” get to- gether again for his members. That’s when a bunch of the Sea- farers go up near the Sebastian Inlet, tie up a few of the boats together on a sand flat, drop anchor and “just ca- vort together.” Local briefs Audubon Society plans coastal cleanup The Pelican Island Audubon So- ciety invites Indian River County residents to join the thousands of Floridians who will take part in the Florida Coastal Cleanup Sept. 19 from 8 to 11 am. In 1997, a total of 730 volun- teers cleaned over 42 miles of beaches, spoil islands and highways in Indian River County, collecting over four tons of debris. With the cooperation of Keep Indian River Beautiful, the society’s Coastal Cleanup Committee hopes to clean the entire county, from the beaches and spoil islands west to Blue Cypress Lake and everything in between. Civic and service clubs, youth and church groups, scout troops, school students and concerned resi- dents should contact the society’s of- fice at 567-3520 to reserve a site for their group, or call the office of Keep Indian River Beautiful at 388-9969. Trash bags, data cards antI pen- cils will be provided by the Center for Marine Conservation, statewide coordinators of the Florida Coastal Cleanup. Cleanup materials will be distributed by the society, and sup- plies will be available at the follow- ing public beach sites: South Sebas- tian Inlet, Wabasso Beach Park, hycee Beach and South Beach. North County residents can also pick up cleanup materials at the KIRB office. Volunteers should bring sturdy gloves, sunscreen, and wear sensible shoes. An underwater cleanup is also planned under the direction of George Maher. Divers should call George at 770-5881 for information. Also planned is a cleanup of a spoil island using kayaks. This event will be coordinated by Kayaks, Etc. Use of the kayaks is free to residents who wish to clean up a spoil island. Reservations are necessary. Call Che- ryl Cummins at 794-9900 to reserve your kayak. As part of the Florida Coastal Cleanup effort, the Pelican Island Preservation Society members invite Sebastian area residents to join in a cleanup of Spoil Islands 4, 5 and 6. Volunteers will be provided with all cleanup materials and should plan to meet at the Main Street boat ramp in Sebastian at 8 a.m. Boat owners and operators will be needed to transport volunteers to and from the spoil islands. For more information or to volunteer, call Ruth Davies at 589-3687. Veterans to march on Capitol Sept.22 RICHARD HIGGINS Convention to educate Con- gress: Medal of Honor recipient Co- lonel George “Bud" Day, leader of the Class Act Group and the Coali- tion of Retired Military Veterans, completed plans for the Washington Convention to Educate Congress in Washington on Sept. 22. These are the two groups that filed health-care lawsuits against the government in Florida and South Carolina. Two busloads of veterans will meet on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol at 2:30 p.m. to talk with Senators McCain, Graham, Mack and Coverdell along with Represen- tatives Moran and Scarborough. Othe congressmen are expected to signal their readiness to join the group after returning from the Au- gust recess. Follow-up office meet- ings with individual senators and representatives are scheduled after the west steps presentations. The purpose of the convention is to discuss the contractual nature of the government's “lifetime health care" promise to military retirees and tell why these promises are binding on the government. With the two houses of Congress counting fewer war veterans among their members each year, continuous edu- cation by veterans’ groups is neces- ary in order to assure veterans their earned rights. Colonel Day is a retired U.S. Air Force officer, winner of the Con- gressional Medal of Honor, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam who suc- cessfully escaped from enemy cus- tody, and a lawyer., He is now lead- ing the fight for justice for our nation's retired military and their de- pendents by supervising a class-ac- tion lawsuit seeking to restore free health care for retirees and their de- pendents who are 65 and older. In the suit, he also requests reimburse- ment of all money that has been withheld from pay over the years to finance Medicare as well as relief from future Medicare deductions. Veterans who desire to be part of this action either through joining the bus groups or by donating to the cause can call (800) 972-6275. Air Force flies whale to Ice- land: If you were at Red Beach, Leyte, Phillipine Islands when “Dugout Doug” waded ashore for the photographers after a World War II invasion, you will enjoy the following. “Keiko” the killer whale, star of "Free Willy,” will be the star passen- ger in an Air Force C-17 Globemas- ter cargo plane for the final leg of his historic trip to home waters off Iceland on Sept. 9. The 10,000-pound whale, ensconced in his 35,000 pound transport con- tainer, will land on a 3,900-foot air- strip adjacent to his floating pen. The C-17 is the only plane in the world that can perform this mission, because it can perform over long dis- tances into and out of short run- ways, according to General Michael E. Ryan, Air Force chief of staff. VA Y2K on schedule: The De- partment of Veterans Affairs says it is on schedule in implementing reno- vated computer programs to meet the much-touted Year 2000 (Y2K) computer up grade by early spring 1999. According to Harold Gracey, acting assistant secretary of the VA’s Office of Information and Technol- ogy, “Veterans can rest assured that VA will provide timely benefits pay- ments and high-quality health care without interruption as we pass into the new millennium." Not only are desktop and note- book computers part of the problem but biomedical equipment with com- puters must have programs updated. Nevertheless, the VA expects to meet its goal by March 1999. Keep vital stats current: The Department of Defense reports con- tinuing problems with maintaining accurate and current addresses in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Re- porting System database, particularly for retired members and their fami- lies and survivors. These problems affect both med~ ical care and pharmacy services. Some patients are being denied use of the mail-order pharmacy due to inaccurate personal information. Beneficaries utilizing on-base services should keep their personal information current. This can be done by calling (800) 538-9552, or send e-mail to addinfo@osd.penta- gon.mil. In either case, provide the sponsor’s name and social security number, address change, names of other family members affected by the address change, effective date of the new address infprmation and tele- phone number with area code. Feather in your cap: Where did the term “a feather in your cap” orig- mate? It comes from the ancient cus- tom of placing a feather in a soldier’s cap for every enemy killed! French student exchanges culturesw MARGARET MIQUELON Just imagine a platter piled high with bacon, cinnamon toast, eggs, fruit and juice at 8 a.m., being snarfed down by a beautiful 17-year-old French girl who tried, between bites, to tell me a little about herself and her family. Audrey Liotard is an exchange student who has been staying with Norma Damp. Twenty-three young people between the ages of 14 and 20 from France stayed in Sebastian under the auspices of Face the World, a nonprofit student exchange program. They arrived July 31 and de- parted for France on Aug. 27. The object of this venture was to enable these students to live with an Ameri- can family, absorb American culture and most, importantly, to learn to speak English more fluently. All the students have studied English in their French schools. Co- ordinators for the program were Tatzhana and Dieter Wojan, of Se- bastian. Every morning, Monday through Thursday, they studied Eng- lish and American customs, as well as taking field trips to see our Flor- ida attractions. Afternoons were saved for swimming at the beach or in one of the hosts’ pools. Audrey’s brother Jean Gerald, 19, stayed with the Louis Grahams. Because the object of this program was to perfect their conversational English, only one student was al- lowed per home, so there would be less temptation to speak French. Audrey and Jean’s parents are Erick and Christine Liotard. They are vintners in a little village next to Bordeaux, which is renowned for its wines. Bordeaux is located in Gi- ronde in the southwest part of France. Their wine is called Chateau le Conseiller, LeGrande Chapelle. Au- drey and Jean-Gerald go to the same high school. They are in school Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both are really into windsurfing, which they have been practicing for the last four or five years. Did you know that you can’t rent windsurfers at the Wabasso Causeway, where we see so many people windsurfing? You have to have your own equip- ment. Audrey also loves to ride horse- back and dreams of having her own horse someday. Friday, Saturday and Sunday were “family days” for the students and their hosts, so they planned something special for each weekend. They went to Walt Disney World, Water Mania, Universal Stu- dios and the Orlando area to see what a big city is like in Florida. Last weekend, they went to Orlando with another host family, Chris and Holly Zarcone, whose student was Asty Thibaud. Norma has friends who have moved here from England and have a daughter just Audrey’s age. They shared a “day out” at a cookout and fishing. Audrey couldn’t get over how we travel so much to get where we are going. We don’t walk places either, except for exercising, and that seemed strange to her. Audrey is tall, slender and has the most beautiful cohiplexion and skin. One of the first things Norma did was take her to Madeline, the hairdresser who does the hair and makeup for Riverside Theatre. Her daughter had been an ex- change student. They looked through books and picked out a cut that Audrey liked. She is a perfect model with green eyes. She stays slender in spite of eat- ing gargantuan meals. She had bacon for the first time at Norma’s and liked it so much she could have eaten it every morning. Her bag lunch every day con- sisted of two sandwiches, an apple, grapes, cookies and two bags of po- tato chips, but she didn’t like peanut butter. Breakfast was very important to the students. At home they have their big meal at lunch and a supper at night. They loved to eat out here, for they apparently don’t get to a res- taurant very often in France. They ate hamburgers here, but not in France. Audrey and her brother talked by phone every day. They both felt that people are much friendlier here. Audrey’s handwriting is beauti- ful. She writes English much better than she speaks it. She finds English pronunciation difficult. The em- phasis on syllables is so different. She and Norma laughed over trying to communicate with each other. Norma kids and laughs a lot and Audrey has learned to do that too. She thinks we are the world’s biggest huggers! Norma is past president of the Theatre Guild in Vero Beach, so she took Audrey there to show her around, gave her a program and ex- plained the workings of the theatre to her. Audrey was in a play at school last spring, so was very im- pressed. She also wondered how and why Norma seemed to know everyone in Sebastian. Norma tried to explain she had been a councilwoman, but that was a little hard to get across with the language barrier. The students left to go back to France last Thursday. Norma fixed Audrey a bag lunch: bacon and mus- tard sandwich, other sandwiches, cookies, Worthers candies, M&Ms, and bologna. Twelve hours on a plane is a long time, so of course they needed a snack. The kids would all hover around Audrey each day to see what~ Norma had packed for her lunch. She never knew what to expect. Audrey loved her experience in Se- bastian and thought the time went too fast; She can’t wait to return. It was a great experience for both Au- drey and Norma, who have really been Here and There. Local brief ELC teaching green-thumb skills The Environmental Learning Center will present “Becoming a Green Thumb,” a beginner’s course on native plant care and propagation on Sept. 7 from 9 to 11 a.m. It will be offered again on Sept. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. Willis Terrell, the ELC’s on-staff expert groundskeeper and master gardener, will show how easy and enjoyable it is to care for and raise plants in Florida. The cost is $1 for adults ($.50 for members), and bring along a bag of potting soil. Week In Review Photo Caption THE ARRIVAL OF A NEW INDIAN RIVER COUNTY AMBULANCE at the Barber Street Fire Station was a welcome sight to many Sebastian residents who have been lobbying for such a vehicle. The second ambulance will provide assistance to the estimated 12,000 residents living across the railroad tracks in Sebastian Highlands. Emergency Services Director Doug Wright said a retired ambulance was prepared a little earlier than expected and sent to Sebastian Aug. 22. New defibrillators save man’s life For Vi Hoppen, the Sebastian Police Department’s new defibrilla- tors are worth their weight in gold. The machines, which help jump-start a person’s heart, saved her husband’s life Aug. 26 — about a week after they were installed in Se- bastian patrol cars. “I’m extremely grateful,” she said. “I’m just glad they got these things.” Police officers finished training with the defibrillators Aug. 18. Mrs. Hoppen said officers told her they were using the equipment for the first time. “They knew exactly what to do,” she said. In late July, the Sebastian City Council approved spending $9,650 to match $5,350 donated by 18 local businesses, civic clubs and individu- als, to buy five portable, automated defibrillators. Mrs. Hoppen said she and her 80-year-old husband, Harold, were watching television about 8:47 p.m. when he went pale and said some- thing was wrong. Then he lost con- sciousness. She immediately called 911 and within minutes police offi- cers arrived, she said. “I was scared to death,” she said. Officers Steve Marcinik and Bill Jursik applied the defibrillator pads to Hoppen’s chest, which analyzed what the machine heard in his chest and instructed the officers to shock the patient’s heart into operation. Jursik gave Hoppen a shock from the machine, which started his pulse. Marcinik then began cardio- pulmonary resuscitation until para- medics arrived to take him to Sebas- tian River Medical Center. “It was actually done really well,” Jursik said. “I was kind of happy about it.” Hoppen was listed in stable con- dition Aug. 27. Now, Mrs. Hoppen is convinced of the benefit from the defibrillators. “It sure paid off for us. I think they should have them in every city,” she said. Jursik said he was a little skepti- cal at first about the machines — that is, until Wednesday. Now, he’s changed his mind, he said. “I think it’s a fantastic thing,” he said. Having the defibrillators in pa- trol cars is a great benefit, especially since police officers often are the first to arrive on scene, Jursik said. “We beat the anibulance by a long shot. We’re always mobile. Nine out of 10 times, we have an of- ficer two minutes away,” he said. Police Chief Randy White said he was glad the machines were able to save Hoppen. He said emergency workers told the officers they might have lost their patient if it hadn’t been for the defibrillator. “It was a good save,” he said. Cops keeping motorists in line With two fatalities on County Road 512 early this year, Sebastian police cracked down on reckless driv- ers, issuing 905 more traffic citations in the first six months of 1998 than the same period a year ago, Chief Randy White said Aug. 27. Police patrolled in unmarked cars and increased enforcement at busy intersections such as U.S. 1 and C.R. 512 and George and Wave streets, White said. Police also made 19 more arrests for drunken driving, from 25 to 44. While police were motivated by the two fatalities, they also were act- ing on residents’ complaints of cars speeding through neighborhoods, White said. The increase in traffic citations, from 582 to 1,487, represents the biggest change in crime statistics for the first six months of 1998 com- pared to the same period for 1997, White said. In many ways, the statistics rep- resent the demographic trends of the city, the chief said. The statistics show an increase in juvenile-related crimes, he said. Drugs and paraphernalia crimes went up by 25, from 17 to 42, and liquor law violations increased from five to 10. The chief explained an increase in domestic assaults as the result of heightened awareness and new laws mandating the reporting of inci- dents. Domestic assaults increased by 13 from 45 to 58. Otherwise, the statistics reflect a strong quality of life in Sebastian, White said. There were no reports of mur- ders, bank robberies, kidnapping, prostitution, extortion or statutory rapes. The city had two reports each of robbery and forced sex. Sebastian may empower code officers The Sebastian Code Enforce- ment Board’s days of listening to ex- cuses about wby people can’t get their car registered or lawn mowed may be numbered. The Sebastian City Council is considering an ordinance that would give the power to issue citations to the city’s two code-enforcement offi- cers. Once a citation is issued, ap- peals would be heard in county courts instead of by the code board. If adopted by the council, the or- dinance would replace the current code-enforcement ordinance, in which code-enforcement officers have to bring all violations before the board. But City Manager Thomas Frame said the board still will have plenty to do. Code-enforcement officers will have the option of issuing a citation or sending the matter to the board he said. That may mean the board wil hear more complex cases or cases ir which there are several violations or the same site, he said. “We’re beginning to pick up on the volume of the business that the code-enforcement officers are having to deal with,” Frame said. By giving code-enforcement offi- cers the ability to issue citations, the board won’t be bogged down with hearing minor cases, he said. Citations most likely will be is- sued for minor violations, such as junked cars or recreational vehicle parking, he said. Appeals of construction citations — such as unlicensed contractors — issued by city building inspectors will be sent to the board, Frame said. Student pilot uses forced landing skills A practice maneuver of an emer- gency procedure 1,500 feet above Indian River County became an ac- tual emergency for a 29-year-old stu- dent pilot on Aug. 27. Leo Sideris, of Vero Beach, had just begun the maneuver in North County when the engine of the 1.976 Piper Cherokee, owned by Air Safety International at the Vero Beach Mu- nicipal Airport, began to sputter. Training swiftly became the key to survival. “He was flying and I was in- structing, and I took over the con- trols and he handled the radios,” said Sideris’ instructor Todd Watt, 31, of Vero Beach. “We had just been practicing soft field landing procedures, and we got a chance to use them,” Sideris said as he and Watt looked over their air- plane as it sat at the end of a grass strip at Felismere Farms. Watt and Sideris found the grass landing strip at the large citrus oper- ation as they began descending from the sky just after 3 p.m. They had hoped to glide back to Vero Beach Municipal Airport, but they began to run out of altitude and Watt decided to play it safe. Local briefs American Legion Auxiliary reconvenes Following a two-month recess, Charles L. Futch Unit 189, Ameri- can Legion Auxiliary will reconvene Sept. 10 at 1:30 p.m. Members will gather at the American Legion Hall, 407 Louisi- ana Ave., Sebastian. Barbara Wilder, president, will conduct the business session, at which committee chair- man appointments will be an- nounced. SAR chapter plans joint meeting The Brevard Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution will con- duct a joint meeting with Breyard’s five chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) at the Riverside Presbyterian Church, on AlA in Cocoa Beach, Sept. 19. A social hour begins at 11:30 a.m. and will be followed by lunch. The guest speaker, Howard Futch, will discuss Constitution Week. All are welcome, but reservations ate required for the luncheon. Call 632-7782 or 952-2928. Capt. Hiram’s hosts ‘Talk of the Coast’ The Tiffany Room at Capt. Hi- ram’s on Sebastian’s Riverfront will host the taping of TV-10’s “Talk of the Coast” show beginning Sept. 2 at 9:30 a.m. North Indian River County news and personalities will be fea- tured, and a segment of the show will be co-hosted by Doug Moss, a longtime North County resident, musician and business pioneer. The program, hosted by Marcia Littlejohn, will air every Wednesday at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. and Thursdays at 9 a.m. on UHF Channel 10 and on TCI Cable Channel 11 on the Vero Beach system. The public is welcome to watch the taping each Wednesday morning in The Tiffany Room. The studio audience should arrive at 9 a.m. to be seated before the taping at 9:30. Potential guests of the show can con- tact Marcia Littlejohn at 978-0023. Capt. Hiram’s waterfront com- plex is located at 1580 U.S. 1. Call 589-4345 for directions. Synagogue plans Holy Day services Congregation B’nai Emet, Vero’s Conservative synagogue, will hold High Holy Day services at the Exec- utive Courthouse Center. Rabbi Rob Alpert will lead the Rosh Hashana services on Sept. 20, 21 and 22 and Yom Kippur services on Sept. 29 and 30. Free baby-sit- ting and transportation to services will be available. Additionally, Sunday school and Hebrew school will begin the week of Sept. 13. For further information, or to purchase High Holy Day tick- ets or register for school, please call 234-0746. Sports grow with Sebastian Bill Valyo You can see the growth in sports programs in and around Sebastian. It has kept up with the population increase over the years. The announcement by Sebastian River High School Athletic Director Mike Stutzke that the school would be admitted into the Treasure Lake Conference beginning in the school year 1999-00 brought a new dimen- sion to the athletic program. It adds to a program that has been impressive since the school opened in 1994. It will allow the student body to become more in- volved in athletics now that students will have the chance to vie for spots on all-conference teams and be iden- tified as top-notch performers throughout the area. This fact was brought to light last Friday night, when the Shark football team initiated the 1998 sea- son with a very impressive win over Fort Pierce-John Carroll in the pre- season Kick Off Classic. Watching Coach Randy Bethel’s greyhounds line up on the turf at the high school field gave the Sharks’ faithful fans a really pleasant surprise — big numbers on the score board. It was especially nice to see Bran- don Jacobs move around the playing field like a gazelle chased by a hun- gry lion. It wasn’t long ago that Brandon was making his quick moves in the Sebastian Panthers fine program. Incidentally, the Panther pro~ gram opened two weeks ago with its annual jamboree weekend against league opponents. If the exhibition was any barometer of the upcoming season, then you’d better find a spot in the stands this year. It will be an interesting and rewarding year. Adding to the excitement of Se- bastian sports is the announcement that the Post 189 baseball team will hold a fall try-out at Hobart Park for students artenc~ing Sebastian River High School. For more information, contact Wayne Simms at 589-9704 or 564-5194. So the excitement grows in Se- bastian. Now I can’t wait to watch Bill McCarty begin coaching his Se- bastian River Middle School basket- ball team this fall. Isn’t life grand! SRMS volleyballers starting over By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun A 13-0 record and a second con- secutive conference championship is a hard act to follow for any volley- ball team — even for the one that did it. But the 15 members of the 1998 Sebastian River Middle School vol- leyball team are trying not to let last year’s perfect season worry them as they begin a new one. “It’ll be hard to live up to,” eighth-grader Bethany Mulcahy said. “But we’re trying not to think about it." With just two returning veterans in Mulcahy and Tamara Wiles, put- ting together another undefeated run will likely be a bit daunting. “Last year, we had a lot of re- turning eighth-grade players, and that really helped,” Head Coach Kim O’Keefe said. This year’s schedule doesn’t help much either. The team is slated to play several more games, and the season begins a week early. O’Keefe remembered how last year, the pressure to win got stronger and stronger with each game. Despite the obvious talent of the team, each new game became more important because a perfect record was on the line. "The last couple of games last year were too stressful,” O’Keefe said with a laugh. O’Keefe doesn’t want her new team to feel obligated to repeat what last year’s team did. Many of those players are now on Sebastian River High School’s freshman team. Photo Caption Seventh-grader Amanda Langfelder practices hitting at a recent Sebastian River Middle School volley- ball team practice. But that’s how it is on grade-school sports teams, a roster filled with experience one year and a group of fresh, young talent the next. Besides, how can you improve on a perfect season? “I’m not looking to top last year, obviously,” O’Keefe said. Instead, O’Keefe wants her new crop of volleyball players to concen- trate on learning the proper tech- niques of the game and, most impor- tantly, to have fun. “Our goal is to have a good time and for thc girls to work together as a team,” O’Keefe said. And if the wins come, that’s good too. “That would be nice,” O’Keefe said. O’Keefe said this team works very hard. The team usually practices every day after school in a hot gym- nasium, going after balls with as much enthusiasm at the end of prac- tice as at the beginning. “Volleyball is one of my favorite sports,” team newcomer Amanda Langfelder said. “I think this year will be good.” This year’s team doesn’t lack for talent. Most of the members have played volleyball in one form or an- other before, and quite a few are ex- perienced athletes in other sports. “I used to play beach volleyball,” Langfelder said. “And I just felt like playing for a team.” Several of the players also are tall, which is important in volleyball. According to Mulcahy, this team also gets along very well — an often overlooked strength that can help players conmunicate well during the heat of a match. “I think that we get along a lot,” Mulcahy said. “We’ll work together.” O’Keefe said she expects the Trea- sure Coast Conference to be just as tough as last year. And the teams that gave them the most trouble, Olso and Hidden Oaks, are both on the schedule again. “Oslo definitely gave us a run for our money,” O’Keefe said. “When we played them at Olso last year, we came back from behind both times and we were on the edge of our seats.” And O’Keefe cautioned that a team you beat at the beginning of the year might be a much stronger team by the end. “We don’t play everybody twice,’ O’Keefe said. “At the beginning of the season you see one team and then at the end of the season, you see that same team but they’re different, better.” The Sebastian River Middle School volleyball team begins the 1998 season by playing host to Mel bourne-Holy Trinity on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 4:30 p.m. in the schoo1 gymnasium. Team cheers for victory By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun As junior Sebastian River cheer- leader Nicole Chiarantona finished her 52nd push-up near the end of the Kickoff Classic football game on Aug. 28, she almost questioned why the squad had decided to do push-ups after every score. "They started scoring in the first five minutes of the game, and they scored so much,” Chiarantona said. But the adrenaline of the 52-35 win over Fort Pierce-John Carroll carried her through as the squad’s ac- tions helped whip the crowd into a joyous frenzy. "The football coach wanted us to do it,” Chiarantona said. “It’s sup- posed to get the crowd involved and show them that we’re not wimps. I think it got the school more into the football game.” It wasn’t until the next morning that she felt the consequences of the team’s great game. “I’m so sore,” Chiarantona said. “We’re going to have to make the football team do something for us.” Meet this year’s Sebastian River High School cheerleading squad: 12 girls who invest their time and sweat in supporting the varsity sports teams — and who did a combined 624 push-ups at the season opener. "I think they did a great job,” new coach Melissa White said. “I was really proud of them.” The team practices three days a week for two hours a day, attends week-long summer camps and com- petes against other teams for the glory of their alma mater. “It is important that they all know all the cheers, know the jumps and techniques,” White said. “We go over the gymnastics and incorporate it into the cheers and stunts, getting the timing down and making sure everything is safe.” You may not know it, but the squad’s actions on the field or court sometimes act as a subliminal nudge for fans to put their hands together and jump to their feet. The cheerleaders work hard, yell- ing, jumping, climbing and tum- bling, to create an atmosphere in which spectators and players can’t help but get caught up in the excite- ment. “Cheerleaders are the main part of getting the crowd involved,” Chiarantona said. “And whether people know it or not, it helps to get the football team going.” It may seem effortless as the cheerleaders maintain constant smiles and movement in their blue and white uniforms, but the job re- quires them to be just as much ath- letes as the players they champion. “They’re all willing to work; they put in the time with no complaint,” White said. “Sometimes they ask me, ‘Do you mind if we come in early?'” The cheerleaders arrive nearly two hours before the start of each football game, to stretch out, put the finishing touches on routines and stunts, and get themselves pumped up. Many say they still feel a little nervous every time they step out onto the field in front of hundreds of spectators. "When I first started, it was scary,” said Chiarantona, a sec- ond-year varsity cheerleader. “But now, when I try new things, I know what to expect.” The team attended a four-day United Cheerleaders Association camp at the University of Central Florida this July in preparation for the 1998-99 school year. They learned new cheers, chants, stunts, tumbling and pyramids from cheerleading professionals and from squads around the state. “It’s fun because you get to go away,” Chiarantona said. “It gives us new ideas, helps us to see what the competition is like. It’s also some- thing you need to do if you want to cheer in college.” They stayed in dorms on campus and spent 24 hours a day getting to know each other and their new coach. “I think with cheerleading, you depend a lot on each other; some- times you depend on each other not to fall,” White said. “The camp gave them time to bond, really get ac- quainted with one another and me.” Photo Caption The Sebastian River High School Sharks cheerleaders practice an aerial manuever Aug. 28. The Florida High School Activi- ties Association had planned to sanc- tion cheerleading as a sport this year, but as of Sept. 1, it had not done so. Still, Sebastian River hopes to hold an invitational cheerleading competi- tion at the campus sometime early next year now that it has the re- quired regulation mats. If cheerleading does become a sanctioned sport, Sebastian River will be allowed to compete in Class 4A, District 9 and possibly a state championship, just like in any other sanctioned high school sport. “They love competition,” White said. "They are quite a group of competitors.” But the first reason Chiarantona dons her uniform every Friday and is willing to put in the many hours of practice, is because she wants to sup- port Sebastian River athletics. “The best part is cheering at the games," Chiarantona said. SABA’s newsletter to offer the scoop on local athletes LINDA E. ROTHSTEIN The Sebastian Athletic Booster Association has worked since Sebas- tian River High School opened five years ago to support all aspects of the school’s athletic programs. SABA favors no sport and stresses academics as much as it sup- ports athletics. SABA’s newest project is to es- tablish a $2,500 student-athlete scholarship. With the help of board members Jim Greene and John Danise, who is also the SRHS girls tennis coach, SABA is now extending its support into the community in the form of a quarterly newsletter. According to Greene, who de- cided to resurrect the newsletter after a fitful start last spring, the newslet- ter is designed to inform the com- munity, especially the middle school and the recreational sports programs, about high school athletics. “We really want to get people talking,” Greene said. The first issue, slated to for re- lease during the first week of Sep- tember, will feature articles by all of the fall sports coaches (football coach Randy Bethel, volleyball coach Mike McCall, swimming coach Brian Ihnen, cross-country coach Taressa Calcavecchia, bowling coach Adam Smith), and messages from new SABA president Kevin Crowe and Hyacinth Brown, membership chair- man. There will also be a feature arti- cle about some aspect of the high school athletic program, middle school athletics and the Sebastian Panthers Youth Football and Cheerleading Association. Formerly sent only to SABA members, the newsletter will be mailed to SABA members and the parents of all high school athletes and band members. The newsletter will also be distributed to all high school teachers, the Panthers and will be available at the middle school and around the community. “We want to bring the Panthers and the Cowboys into the organiza- tion and work with them,” Greene said. Not only will the newsletter en- courage membership in the growing booster association and keep people informed about its activities, Greene said, but it will, hopefuily, create a relationship among the parents and residents concerned about the wel- fare of Sebastian’s children and teen-agers. “We want to get the whole com- munity moving together,” Greene said. SABA is interested in the youn- ger student-athletes of Sebastian be- cause they are the future Sharks. "The culmination for the chil- dren of Sebastian is Sebastian River High School,” Greene said. By having a good relationship with the middle school and commu- nity sports programs such as the Panthers and the Sebastian Soccer Association, SARA helps to support those children who will become stu- dents at Sebastian River whether they play sports or not. “The success of this high school and its sports teams depends on the kids,” Greene said. “SABA is wholly aimed at supporting student-ath- letes.” Total Print of Sebastian is donat- ing the printing for the first two is- sues, and Greene hopes to establish a group he calls the "Famous Fifty,” each of whom will donate $50 to cover the costs of printing the news- letter for the remainder of the school year. The first issue will consist of four pages, and 500 copies will be distrib- uted. SABA members are volunteer- ing their time to write, lay out and mail the newsletters. The first issue will also contain a mernbership form. SABA currently has about 160 members and hopes to reach the 200 mark by the end of the year. A yearlong individual mem- bership is $10 and a family member- shipis $15. For more information about the newsletter, call Greene at 388-1429. Obituaries Isaac Brown Isaac Williamson Brown, 97, of Sebastian, died Aug. 27, 1998, at St. Cloud Health Care Center, St. Cloud, after a prolonged illness. He was born Aug. 25, 1901, in Jamaica, and moved to Sebastian eight years ago from his birthplace. Mr. Brown was employed as a carpenter in Jamaica, prior to retire- ment. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, Sebastian. Surviving are his wife of 56 years, Linda; four sons, Maxwell Brown, of Alexander, Va., Lloyd Brown, of Brooklyn, N.Y., Barring- ton Brown, of Birmingham, Eng- land, and Isaac Brown Jr., of Albany, N.Y.; five daughters, Ethel Morris, of Oakland, Calif., Elma Hall and Yvonne Brown, both of Bridgeport, Conn., Lola Brown, of Sebastian, and Peg Brown, of Miami; 24 grandchildren; and 11 great-grand- children. Friends can call 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 5 at Young & Prill Fu- neral Home Chapel, Sebastian. The funeral will be 1 p .m. Sept. 5 at the funeral home with the Rev. Clifton Cooley officiating. The family suggests donations be made to Calvary Baptist Church of Sebastian, 123 Thunderbird Drive, Sebastian, Fla. 32958, in Mr. Brown’s memory. Catherine Cairns Catherine Adams Cairns, 68, of Sebastian, died unexpectedly Aug. 28, 1998, at her residence. She was born Nov. 7, 1929, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Se- bastian two years ago from Sayville, N.Y. Mrs. Cairns was a homemaker. She was a member of Sebastian Singers and Eastern Star, Long Is- land. Surviving is one son, Robert Cairns, of Lake Worth. At the family’s request, a private service will be held at the Sebastian Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family sug- gests donations be made to the Shriners, Crippled Children’s Hospi- tal, 12502 N. Pine Drive, Tampa, Fla. 33612, in Mrs. Cairns’ memory. Cremation arrangements are un- der the direction of Lowther Crema- tion Service, Vero Beach. Grant Flaugher Grant P. Flaugher, 83, of Bare- foot Bay, died unexpectedly Aug. 26, 1998, at Holmes Regional Medical Center, Melbourne. He was born Aug. 24, 1915, in Dayton, Ohio, and moved to Bare- foot Bay in 1982 from his birthplace. Mr. Flaugher worked for Na- tonal Cash Register, Dayton, and was a volunteer firefighter for the Harrison Township Fire Department for 25 years, in Dayton. He was a member of the Masons, and a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. Surviving are his wife of 62 years, Bertie; one daughter, Joy Jones, of Dayton; one son, Michael Flaugher, of Moline, Ill.; two sisters, Jean Shafner and Paula Shaffer, both of Dayton; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. No services are scheduled. Inurn- ment will be at a later date. The family suggests donations be made to the Kidney Foundation, 1040 Woodcock Road, Suite 119, Orlando, Fla. 32803. Fountainhead Funeral Home, Palm Bay, is in charge of arrange- ments. Helen Durham Helen M. Durham, 86, of Sebas- tian, died Aug. 25, 1998, at her daughter’s residence after a brief ill- ness. She was born June 10, 1912, in Collingswood, N.J., and moved to Sebastian in 1957 from New Or- leans. Mrs. Durham was a volunteer at Shiloh Youth Ranch, Roseland. She was an organist, piano and marimba player for the youth ranch. Surviving are two sons, George Durham, of Lakeland, and James H. Durham, of Culpeper, Va.; one laughter, Florence Welimaker, of Sebastian; one sister, Mildred Tay- lor, of Vero Beach; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Interment will be at Hillcrest Cemetery, Vero Beach. The family suggests donations be made to VNA Hospice of Vero Beach, 1111 36th St., Vero Beach, Fla. 32960, or Shiloh Youth Ranch, J0655 Roseland Road, Sebastian, Fla. 32958. Fountainhead Funeral Home, Palm Bay, is in charge of arrange- ments. Mary Harvey Mary E. “Bee” Harvey, 77, of Barefoot Bay, died Aug. 26, 1998, at Palm Garden of Vero Beach after a prolonged illness. She was born Aug. 17, 1921, in Baraboo, Wis., and moved to Bare- foot Bay in 1979 from Madison, Wis. Mrs. Harvey was a member of St. Luke’s Catholic Church, St. Luke’s Ladies Guild, Michigan-Wis- consin-Minnesota Club, Friends of the Library, Barefoot Bay Golf and Country Club and 18 Hole Ladies Association, all of Barefoot Bay. She was a member of the Indian River Cremation Society, Vero Beach. Surviving are one sister, Marga- ret Goodman, of West Melbourne; and one brother, Thomas Adams, of Madison. At the family’s request, there will be no repose or visitation. A memorial Mass was held Aug. 31 at St. Luke’s Catholic Church, Barefoot Bay. In lieu of flowers, the family sug- gests donations be made to VNA Hospice, 1111 36th St., Vero Beach, Fla. 32960, or the American Cancer Society, 1401 21st St., Veto Beach, Fla. 32960, in Mrs. Harvey’s mem- ory. James Schailey James John Schailey, 76, of Se- bastian, died Aug. 26, 1998, at his residence after a brief illness. He was born April 16, 1922, in Philadelphia and moved to Sebastian five years ago from New Jersey. Mr. Schailey was a retired man- ager in the plumbing industry. He was a U.S. Navy Seabee during World War II and a Mason. Surviving are his wife, Eleanor; one daughter, Barbara Lombardo, of Sebastian; one brother, Frank Schailey, of Belmar, N.J.; five grand- children and six great-grandchildren. At the family’s request, there will be no services. Cremation arrangements are un- der the direction of Lowther Crema- tion Service, Vero Beach. Clemond Nunley Clemond “Red” Nunley, 55, of Roseland, died unexpectedly Aug. 24, 1998, at Indian River Memorial Hospital, Vero Beach. He was born April 26, 1943, in Gruetli, Tenn., and moved to Rose- land 32 years ago from Tennessee. Mr. Nunley was a parts deliverer at Vatland Olds, Vero Beach, for three years. He worked for Piper Aircraft, Vero Beach, for 24 years. He was a former member of Eagles Sebastian Inlet Aerie No. 4067. He was a U.S. Army veteran. Surviving are his wife, Mary Nun- ley, of Winter Beach; two daughters, Laura Nunley, of Roseland, and Au- drey Norman, of Vero Beach; his mother, Eula Nunley, of Tennessee; one brother, Homer Nunley, of Ten- nessee; one sister, Helen Hampton, of Tennessee; one stepson, Herbert Zeh, of Veto Beach; one stepdaugh- ter, Ellen Pritchett, of Sebring; and seven grandchildren. The funeral was held Aug. 29 at the Strunk Funeral Home chapel, Sebastian, with the Rev. Buddy Johns officiating. END Sebastian Sun Articles September 11, 1998 09/11/98 Page: B8 BAREFOOT BAY LITTLE THEATER TO PERFORM Byline: BRIEF The Barefoot Bay Little Theater is a group of volunteers who perform for the benefit of the residents Barefoot Bay and their guests. The Little Theater will meet at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. 09/11/98 Page: A12 FIRST NATIONAL BANK REACHES $7 MILLION Byline: BRIEF First National Bank and Trust Company's Sebastian West Branch reached $7 million in deposits on Aug. 21. The branch, located at 1110 Roseland Ave. at County Road 512 opened in March and has six employees. Branch Manager Betty Lollio notes, "We are excited about the response we are getting from the people here. Our deposits are growing at an average of $1.4 million per month. Sebastian is expanding rapidly, and we think we are well-equipped to meet the needs of this growing community." An announcement was recently made that First National Bank had reached $100 million in deposits in Indian River County. First National offers expanded branch hours at the Sebastian West Branch. The drive-in teller window is open 7:30 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Regular banking hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. For further information phone 581-1312. 09/11/98 Page: A12 PROGRAM HELPS FAMILY HISTORY BUFFS Byline: BRIEF George Gross, president of the Indian River Genealogical Society, has announced a new program, the first in a series of group discussions designed to meet the needs of individuals researching family history. The first meeting will be held at the Indian River Main Library (in the large conference room on the first floor,) on 21st Street, Vero Beach, on Sept. 16 from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. Lyn Guiffrida, program chair-person, will lead the discussion. The scope and direction of the meeting will be to discover more about your ancestors with the help of others who are researching their ancestors in the same geographic area. Each group will cover topics such as: court records (deeds, marriages, deaths), use of libraries, newspapers or what-ever subject appeals to those in attendance. The day and time of future meetings will be varied since the object of the program is to appeal to a broad audience which includes members, non-members and researchers just getting started in genealogy. The public is invited to attend. For more information contact: Lyn Guiffrida at 231-2881. 09/11/98 Page: A12 PRE-SCHOOLERS GET RIVERSIDE ATTENTION Byline: BRIEF New this fall at Riverside Children's Theatre is an arts enrichment program for 4 and 5 year olds. Patterned after RCT's popular summer camp, the Performing Arts Day Camp, the Little Stars Theatre Arts Program is offered Monday and Thursday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to noon and Tuesday afternoons from 1 to 3:30 p.m. The 2 1/2-hour program will introduce children to creative dramatics, storytelling, music and movement. A daily snack will be provided. Instructors are Martha Manning Thomas and Tania Jones. Ms. Thomas headed up this past summer's pre-school camp and Ms. Jones is an RCT alum with extensive performance experience. For more information, phone the RCT office at 234-8052. 09/11/98 Page: A10 SALUTE TO VETS CONCERT PLANNED Byline: BRIEF The Melbourne Municipal Band, "Melbourne's Musical Ambassadors," will present the Fourth Annual Salute to Veterans Concert on Monday and Wednesday, Sept. 21 and 23, 1998 at 7:30 p.m. in the Melbourne Civic Auditorium at 625 East Hibiscus Blvd. The concert is sponsored by Honor America, Inc. for the benefit of the Liberty Bell Memorial Museum. Honor America is a non-profit, non-sectarian, non-partisan patriotic organization that sponsors the museum among other functions, including sponsoring the bands, orchestras and choral groups from the United States military services to perform free public concerts for Brevard County residents. Call 727-1776 for further information about Honor America and the museum. Music director and conductor Clair Christy has prepared a program for the band to perform that will honor the veterans of all of this country's services in the finest musical fashion. Admission is free but tickets are required and are available at the usual ticket outlets. Doors open at 6:30 and persons not holding tickets will be admitted at 7:20. Call 724-0555 for information and location of ticket outlets. 09/11/98 Page: A10 GIRL SCOUTS NEED VOLUNTEERS Byline: BRIEF You can make the difference in the lives of young girls. Volunteering with the Girl Scouts is action-packed, fun and rewarding. Don't miss out on an opportunity to make a difference. For more than 85 years, Girl Scouting has changed than lives of millions of young girls by providing them with a place to learn and grow into competent caring adults. Palm Glades Girl Scout Council Inc. needs your help to continue providing girls ages 5-17 with the opportunity to develop to their full individual potential, relate to others, develop values and contribute to the improvement of society. If you are 18 years or older and have an interest in working with girls, Girl Scouting has a place for you. In addition to being a troop leader or co-leader, there are many opportunities available working directly with girls or in professional and administrative roles. Girl Scout volunteers, both women and men, receive a great deal of satisfaction from helping girls and have fun while doing it. For more information about making a difference in the lives of young girls, please contact Palm Glades Girl Scout Council, Inc. at 561-582-5362 or 800-432-1453. 09/11/98 Page: A10 HALLOWEEN SHIFTS DOWNTOWN FRIDAY Byline: BRIEF "Downtown Friday" is traditionally set for the last Friday of each month. An exception to this will be the fourth anniversary for Vero Beach's popular street party in October. Due to the conflict with Halloween weekend, "Downtown Friday" will be held on Friday, Oct. 23. A special celebration is planned for this date with an "Oktoberfest" theme including festive food, drink and entertainment. Theme-related groups or organizations are invited to participate. "Downtown Friday" planning meetings are held on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 8 a.m. at the Vero Beach Police Department's second floor training room. Interested parties are invited to attend. For more information, call Beverly Paris at (561)234-4412. 09/11/98 Page: A10 VISUALLY IMPAIRED LEARN INDEPENDENCE Byline: BRIEF For Eyes Only, a support group for the visually impaired. Join us and learn all the ways you can live more independently Sept. 14, 1-3 p.m. E. Bldg. Transportation available. For info, call 664-9222. 09/11/98 Page: A10 FALL DRAMA CLASSES BEGIN AT RIVERSIDE Byline: BRIEF Riverside Children's Theatre is ready for the fall season with more space, more classes and more teachers. Classes begin the week of Sept. 14 and run for 12 weeks. The enlarged Agnes Wahlstrom Youth Playhouse will allow for a variety of classes and choices of times to meet the needs of the busiest schedule. Offerings are for children ages 4 to 18 and range from introduction to creative drama to advanced monologue and scene study. Young students can take a class in faerie tales in which they will rewrite and act out some of their all time favorites while older students can learn about what is involved in musical theatre from dance styles to vocal techniques. Production work is also offered from instruction in auditioning to a directing/play writing lab to an advanced video production class. Also offered is a full slate of dance classes with instructor Yvonne Miller and a professional voice workshop with Eric Thomas. Other teachers include RCT directors Jim Allen, Jeremy Baker and Eileen Loughran as well as Martha Manning Thomas, Tania Jones and Schumetta McLendon. Returning RCT students may receive a 10% discount on tuition if they encourage a friend to enroll. Scholarships are available. Phone the RCT office at 234-8052 for further details. 09/11/98 Page: A6 MCLARTY EXPLORES FISHER'S EXPLOITS Byline: BRIEF On Sept. 27, at 2 p.m., a special program will be given at the McLarty Treasure Museum. P.T. Rampy, a historic shipwreck salvor and consultant, will present an overview of the life-long quests of Mel Fisher. Rampy has worked with Mel Fisher and will give a first-hand photographic record of original discoveries. This will include the finding, conservation and preservation of priceless and historically significant artifacts and treasures. Rampy will give an overview of the trade routes of the 15th-18th century mariners, the trials and tribulations of the salvage community and the current and future ventures. Admission to the museum, which includes the program, is $1 for adults, with children under 6 free, The McLarty Treasure Museum is located on A1A, two miles south of Sebastian Inlet. For further information, call 561-589-2147 or 407-984-4852. 09/11/98 Page: A6 CLOGGING CLASSES SET TO START AT RODES PARK Byline: BRIEF Brevard County Parks and Recreation South Area is sponsoring clogging classes Sept. 14 from 7-10 p.m. on Monday evenings at Rodes Park, 3000 Minton Road, West Melbourne. The fee is $25 monthly for an eight-week class. The class includes teaching new steps, practice new steps and review old steps. For more information contact Instructor Derald Grice at 984-4077 or Parks And Recreation at 952-4580. 09/11/98 Page: A6 ARTHRITIS EXERCISE PROGRAM OFFERED Byline: BRIEF A new exercise program designed specifically for people with arthritis will begin Sept. 14 at Sebastian Community Center. The program is called PACE, an acronym for "People with Arthritis Can Exercise," and is being sponsored by the Florida chapter, Mid East branch of the Arthritis Foundation. During the 6 week program, participants will go through a series of exercises and activities designed to increase mobility and function. The sessions meet two times per week. "A properly designed and executed exercise program helps people with arthritis keep joints flexible, maintain muscle strength and build overall stamina. People who participate in PACE classes often report that they look and feel better, have more energy, and are more capable of doing their daily activities. But before any exercise program is started. you should always check with your physician." Preregistration is necessary to participate in the class and enrollment is limited. For more information or to register for the PACE Exercise Program, contact the Arthritis Foundation at (561) 833-1133. 09/11/98 Page: A6 CENTER PRESENTS 'MANGROVE MYSTERIES' Byline: BRIEF The Environmental Learning Center presents "Mangrove Mysteries," Sept. 22 from 7 to 8 p.m. Find out what's going on in these strange, flooded forests that surround us here along the Indian River Lagoon. How about air-gulping, walking fish that spend most of their lives cooped up in crab holes? They're called Rivulus, and were believed to be extinct until our speaker, Scott Taylor, rediscovered them practically in our backyards. The cost is $2/person ($1.50/member). Scott Taylor is a dynamic and lively presenter who has traveled to other countries studying the highly productive mangrove tree forests. Please call 589-5050 to register, and for further information regarding the ELC's classes, programs, excursions and membership. The Environmental Learning Center is a not for profit organization, situated on 51 acres of Wabasso Island between U.S. l and A1A on the south side of County Road 510. 09/11/98 Page: A3 MASTER GARDENERS SET UP SHOP AT ELC Byline: BRIEF Do you have a plant or pest that's bugging you? Have you tried to find reliable, expert advice on the weekend, but found that the Master Gardeners were not available except during business hours? The solution to your horticultural problem returns this weekend at the new Indian River County Extension Service's Master Gardener Clinic. It will be open this Saturday, Sept. 12, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Environmental Learning Center. You will find these trained gardening and landscape experts in the entryway pavilion at the ELC. The ELC is located just off CR 510, just south of the Wabasso causeway. Call the Extension office or the ELC at 589-5050 for directions. Master Gardeners are unable to accept phone calls at this clinic - but you can leave a message at 770-5030. Future ELC Saturday clinic dates include Sept. 26. For more information about the Florida Master Gardener program or other help available from the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, call County Extension Director Dan Culbert at 770-5030. 09/11/98 Page: B8 O'MAHONYS TO MEETIN MELBOURNE Byline: BRIEF If your name happens to be Mahoney, Mahony, O'Mahony, Mahone, O'Manny, Mahaney or any similar variation, you should know about, and make plans to attend, the upcoming O'Mahony Society Annual Get-Together in Melbourne from Oct. 9-11. The O'Mahony Society was founded in Ireland in 1955 by the late Eoin O'Mahony, K.M., barrister-at-law and genealogist to help us understand and enjoy our Irish heritage. Eoin initiated the first O'Mahony Gathering in Ireland in 1955 to join the family and friends of O'Mahony's together for a meeting and picnic lunch. Over the years, the Gathering has continued, and takes place annually the weekend of the summer solstice (June). During this time, O'Mahony's gather from around the world to meet old and new acquaintances, hold genealogy workshops and visit the great castles and other sites associated with the O'Mahony surname. With the growing number of (Irish) American citizens interested in searching for their roots, the O'Mahony Society started a recent tradition of O'Mahony "Get-Togethers" in the United States. The Get-Togethers are held over Columbus Day weekend at different cities. The first Get-Together was held in Melbourne in 1993. Subsequent meetings were held in Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. The Get-Togethers give the Irish a great reason to visit their overseas cousins. The O'Mahony Society's Internet web site has been attracting new members from around the world at a much quicker pace in the recent years. "The web site has been on the Internet for over three years now. It has been a challenge answering all the e-mail, from people all over the globe looking for more information on their great-grandfathers, great-grandmothers, and great-greats. But it has also been very rewarding and beneficial to the Society. We have helped members find distant cousins they had been searching for," says Jim Mahoney, O'Mahony Society director. Anyone interested in attending the 1998 O'Mahony Society Get-Together can contact Jim Mahoney at 407-768-9887. The headquarters is the Best Western Harborview in Melbourne from Oct. 9-11. Nora Hickey, noted and published genealogist from Kinsale, Ireland, will be holding genealogy workshops on Saturday. 09/11/98 Page: B8 OBITUARIES Mildred Going Mildred A. Going, 72, of Vero Beach, died Aug. 29, 1998, at Florida Hospital, Orlando, after a brief illness. She was born Feb. 22, 1926, in Harrodsburg, Ky., and moved to Vero Beach in 1954 from her birthplace. Mrs. Going was the owner of a cleaning service. Surviving are two sons, Gary Casey, of Rockledge, and Johnny Casey, of Vero Beach; one daughter, Anita Lewis, of Vero Beach; three brothers, Luther Darnell and William Darnell, both of Vero Beach, and Randall Darnell, of Shreveport, La.; three sisters, Dorothy VanArsdall, of Harrodsburg, Sarah Brown, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Nancy Bailey, of Danville, Ky.; five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Friends may call 10 a.m. to noon Thursday at Strunk Funeral Home, Vero Beach. A graveside service will be 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Winter Beach Cemetery, Winter Beach, with Leon Blanton officiating. Fred Brox Fred Brox, 83, of Barefoot Bay, died Sept. 2, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland, after a brief illness. He was born Aug. 25, 1915, in Lawrence, Mass., and moved to Barefoot Bay in 1972 from Dracut, Mass. Mr. Brox was co-owner of Brox Dairies, Methuen, Mass. He was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. He was a member of St. Luke's Catholic Church, Barefoot Bay, and the Indian River Cremation Society, Vero Beach. Surviving are his wife of 56 years, Rita; two sons, Fred Brox Jr., of Chesapeake, Va., and Ronald Brox, of Jefferson, Maine; one daughter, Sharon Brox, of Barefoot Bay; one sister, Ruby Hennessey, of Dracut; two brothers, Arthur Brox, of Dracut, and Alexander Brox, of Massachusetts; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. At the family's request, there will be no repose or visitation. A memorial Mass will be 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Luke's Catholic Church, Barefoot Bay. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to St. Luke's Church Building Fund, 5055 Micco Road, Barefoot Bay, Fla. 32976, in Mr. Brox's memory. Myrtle Nelson Myrtle Nelson, 95, of Barefoot Bay, died Sept. 1, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland, after a brief illness. She was born April 15, 1903, in Pocopson, Pa., and moved to Barefoot Bay in 1968 from Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. Nelson worked for Byberry Hospital, Philadelphia. Surviving are two nephews, Donald Weaver, of West Chester, Pa., and H. William Nelson, of Tucson, Ariz.; and one niece, Catherine Wit, of Arlington Heights, Ill. At the family's request, there will be no visitation or repose. No services are scheduled. Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home, Palm Bay, is in charge of arrangements. Raymond Nudo Raymond Nudo Jr., 45, of Sebastian, died Sept. 3, 1998, at River House, Sebastian, after a prolonged illness. He was born Sept. 20, 1952, in Glen Cove, N.Y., and moved to Sebastian six months ago from Fort Lauderdale. Mr. Nudo was an electrician. Surviving are his parents, Raymond and Philomena "Faye" Nudo, of Sebastian; two sisters, Loretta Oakes, of Chicago, and Anne Totten, of Northport, N.Y. Friends may call 6-8 p.m. Friday at Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian. A prayer service will be 7:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Sebastian. Interment will follow at Sebastian Cemetery, Sebastian. Olive Tabor Olive Mary Agnes Tabor, 79, of Barefoot Bay, died Sept. 2, 1998, at her daughter's residence in Grant after a prolonged illness. She was born March 27, 1919, in Chicago, and moved to Barefoot Bay in 1982 her place of birth. Mrs. Tabor was a homemaker. She was a member of Chicago Policeman's Auxillary, Chicago, and Space Coast Jim Beam Bottle Club, Barefoot Bay. Surviving are two daughters, Gayle Tabor, of Deerfield, Ill., and Karen Tabor Heller, of Grant; and one brother, Donald Walsh, of Elk Grove Village, Ill. Friends may call 5-7 p.m. today at Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home, Palm Bay. The funeral will be 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Palm Bay. Jack Bernstein Jack David Bernstein, 88, of Sebastian, died Sept. 4, 1998, at his residence after a prolonged illness. He was born March 13, 1910, in New York City and moved to Vero Beach six years ago from Fort Myers. Mr. Bernstein was an estimator in the moving and export industry and was a veteran of World War II. Surviving him are his wife of 53 years, Bernice; one daughter, Rita Bernstein, of Sebastian; and four brothers, Benjamin Bernstein, George Bernstein, Stanley Bernstein and Edward Bernstein, all of Philadelphia, Pa. The family will have a memorial service 10 a.m. Wednesday at the daughter's residence, 513 Barber St., Sebastian. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to VNA Hospice of Indian River County, 1111 36th St., Vero Beach, in Mr. Bernstein's memory. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Lowther Cremation Service, Vero Beach. Jesse Higley Jesse O. Higley, 82, of Barefoot Bay, died Sept. 3, 1998, at Integrated Health Services of Palm Bay after a brief illness. He was born in Ogden, Utah, and moved to Barefoot Bay in 1988 from Long Island, N.Y. Mr. Higley worked for the New York Racing Association as a jockey, and was a member of the Jockey Guild, Long Island, and Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints in Palm Bay. Survivors include his wife, Jean; and sister, Joan Kimber, of Brigham City, Utah. Calling hours are 1-2 p.m. Tuesday at Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home in Palm Bay with services following. Burial will follow at Fountainhead Memorial Park. Donations can be made to Don McBeth Memorial Fund, 505 S. Beverly Drive, Suite 1019, Beverly Hills, Calif., 90212; or Micco Volunteer Fire Department, 310 Barefoot Blvd., Barefoot Bay, 32976, in Mr. Higley's memory. Donald Pudney Donald E. Pudney, 78, of Barefoot Bay, died Sept. 5, 1998, at his residence after a brief illness. He was born Feb. 11, 1920, in Ilion, N.Y., and moved to Barefoot Bay 10 years ago from Marcy, N.Y. Mr. Pudney was a retired Major in the U.S. Army. He also was an electrician. He was a member of V.F.W. Post 10210 in Sebastian and the Barefoot Bay Golf Association. He also was a member of the Indian River Cremation Society, Vero Beach. Surviving are his wife of 56 years, Lillian; four sons, Donald E. Pudney Jr., of Oriskany, N.Y., Erik Pudney, of Boynton Beach, Daryl Pudney, of Syracuse, N.Y. and Marc Pudney, of Utica, N.Y.; one brother, Earl Pudney, of Schenectady, N.Y.; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. At the family's request, there will be no repose or visitation. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Hospice of Health First and Co., 1900 Dairy Road, Melbourne, Fla. 32904, in Mr. Pudney's memory. 09/11/98 Page: A7 POTHOLES TOP THE MAYOR'S LIST OF THINGS FOR CITY TO DO SOON Byline: Ruth Sullivan Mayor Talk Subject: Mayor's Corner mid-year report In listening to residents' concerns, the most often mentioned were poor drainage and street potholes. Recent council approval of a $3.5 million street program, paid from the state gas and local option taxes, will be correcting the most serious of these problems in Sebastian. On Aug. 26 we accepted a low loan bid of 4.40 percent and will invest the funds, over the life of the project, at more than 5 percent to build up some surplus. We are working from a plan to first improve drainage and then repave our worst streets. We will coordinate the work with the county waterline installation so streets will not be torn up twice. Our pilot project was the Dempsey-Vocelle area. These residents were very patient when the work ran over the projected time. City officials assure me the next road projects will move more smoothly. In Sebastian for 22 years, I never saw a ditch cleaned, let alone dredged to keep storm water draining. Now a regular schedule of ditch maintenance should eliminate unhealthy standing water. A five-year program should find the city drainage and roads greatly improved. Keeping the boat ramps and fishing docks open for our residents has been a high priority of mine. We now have scheduled repair work on the Yacht Club (Fellsmere Road) and Main Street docks and ramps. Grant funds should cover 50 percent of these costs. Decorative street lamps will soon be installed along the river front as part of the $600,000 grant for water front improvements. A state grant will construct a sidewalk-bike path along the east side. Thanks to Councilman Chuck Neuberger, the electric lines that interfered with sailboat masts near the Fellsmere ramp, will be moved to provide a safe clearance. Councilman Neuberger, an electrical contractor, independently worked with Florida Power and Light to develop a safe site for Sebastian boaters. The serious need for an ambulance and paramedic team for emergency help for our 12,000 residents living west of the railroad tracks kicked off a fund-raising effort by local civic and business organizations this month. I also contacted CRA, the city's grant writers, and learned we can qualify for financial help toward building the Barber Street Fire Station addition for the used emergency vehicle we just received from the county. A number of good citizens in the Sebastian Property Owners, the Aware Citizens and Taxpayers and the Indian River Property Owners Associations attended many meetings with our county commissioners to beg for this vital service. And beg we did! There, various civic associations and the local Chamber of Commerce have joined together to raise funds for this much needed facility. When we succeed in building an adequate addition, we expect the county to provide Sebastian with a new ambulance and paramedic team in the next budget. Organizations are putting together fund raisers, such as the Chamber golf outing. Meanwhile, individual donations are being received under the "Ambulance Building Fund" at Indian River National Bank. We are opposing the state plan to widen U.S. 1 to six lanes through Sebastian. This will seriously injure our local businesses and ruin the new born "Fishing Village" atmosphere for this area. With Interstate 95 only five miles to the west, I see no reason why through-traffic traveling the coast cannot use the expressway. We have seen what happened to Melbourne's section on U.S. 1, with fast moving traffic and the many business failures after the road was widened. We do not want to repeat that problem here. We established a new Citizen's Budget Review Committee this week. This should give balance to taxpayer/administrator ideas on how taxes should be spent. Last year volunteers from the Aware Citizen and Taxpayers Association got the idea started. Now there will be a permanent committee of residents to oversee this function. Sebastian's Recreation Advisory Board, established just last year, have completed their recommendations to develop a skateboard facility here. They put a great deal of work into this project. It just shows what citizen volunteers can accomplish. I want to thank Palm Bay Recreation Director Steve Riser and Mayor John Mazziotti for their assistance in our effort to offer this sport to our youngsters. 09/11/98 Page: A8 Caption: Kent and Michele Barowning with their Honda Gold Wing three-wheeler. COUPLE ARE ON THE ROAD AGAIN Byline: Margaret Miquelon Here and There You might know, just when I would have liked everyone in the neighborhood to be out watching, we didn't see a soul. I got to ride on a huge Honda Gold Wing three wheeler! What a thrill! And of course this leads right into a story. Kent and Michele Browning moved to Sebastian a year ago from Lockport, Ill., a suburb southwest of Chicago. Kent was offered a maintenance position with Airlite Processing Corp. of Florida, in Vero Beach. Michele is a pharmacy technician, so she had no problem finding a job here at Health South in Vero Beach. They packed up their cocker spaniel and 16-year-old fox terrier mix and came to Florida. A couple of years before, Kent, who had been a motorcycle enthusiast for years, decided to go back to riding. Michele, not to be outdone, started riding a motor scooter. Kent at that time was riding a Kawasaki 550. They stopped at a stoplight next to a Honda Gold Wing, and Kent said, "I like that." Fast forward to 1998 in Sebastian and you will find two Honda Gold Wings in their garage. Michele rides an '85 Gold Wing two wheeler and Kent rides a new Gold Wing three wheeler. Michele's two wheeler is huge! I asked if she was afraid of it. She is not afraid of falling off, but if it starts to tip over, there is no way she can hold it. It has protective bars, but it weighs 800 lbs. and that's a lot of motorcycle! The Honda Gold Wing trike was made in California. Kent ordered it over the phone. It was a conversion made by California Side Car Co. What a comedy of errors that turned out to be! Michele knew when Kent had seen this model at Bike Week that he had to have a trike. The manufacturer in California sold the demo after Kent had ordered it, so they had to build another. Kent and Michele were scared that this deal would fall through, too, so they didn't tell any of their friends. After many delays, they were notified it would be delivered May 9. After two more months, they finally heard that the bike was in Tampa, then Orlando. Delivery was COD, so Michele got the money from the bank. Orlando called to say it was being delivered there. The terminal man agreed to wait one hour for them to pick it up before he closed. But Kent was at work. Their friends, Ron and Suze Lavender rallied round, agreed to meet Michele on I-95 and go with her. Just as she was leaving, Kent walked in. They rushed to meet Ron and Suze. However, Ron and Kent decided to go to Orlando and Suze and Michele came back to Sebastian. Michele thought everything was arranged until she walked into the house and the answering machine was flashing like crazy. The truck delivering the bike was five blocks from their house. Another quick trip to the bank for Michele. It ended with friend Suze rushing over to the house (shoes in hand) to find the truck, the trike and Michele all arriving at the same time. Thankfully, the driver was honest and didn't take any money from Michele. All ended well and they finally got around to celebrating Suze's birthday, which was that day. Talk about a comedy of errors! Kent and Michele ride all over together. Both Gold Wings are more than fully equipped. They have CB radios, cruise control, stereo, cassette players, front and rear speakers, reverse gears, heaters, foot warmers, cup holders and voice-activated intercom systems. The air conditioner is called 65 mph. The price range is $30,000 for the trike and $17,000 for the two wheeler. They even have push buttons that play stereo inside the helmets. In the summer, they prefer a half-shell helmet for it is cooler. They also have helmets. It's amazing how much storage space both motorcycles have. The trike has two trunks that are lighted inside. The two wheeler has saddle bags on each side. The trike has a trailer hitch. It has separate antennas for CB and stereo. They have a keyless entry for both the motorcycles and the garage. Kent says they can ride in the rain and not get wet, unless they stop. Michele and Kent love to ride and belong to a club called the Classels. This is a family-oriented group. Yes, they are among the sometimes 60 motorcyclists who gather at the Sebastian Dunkin' Donuts on Tuesday nights. They do "Toys for Tots" and do several charitable events during the holidays. Kent and Michele have been to the Daytona Rally and Biketoberfest. Kent rode to Wyoming by way of Arkansas, Tennessee, Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Dakota and Colorado. They meet once per month on Post Road in Melbourne, where members come from all up and down the coast between Stuart and Titusville. There are 80 members in the club and they are always looking for new members. They have officers and the dues are $25 per year for a family. The old stereotype of the rowdy drinking bunch is not for this group. In fact, they outlaw any drinking and driving. This is a group that loves to ride and love to go out for dinner rides, go to Old Town or out to Bok Tower. For more information about their club, call Pete Santi at 589-2908 or Kent Browning at 589-6208. And we can certainly say that Kent and Michele Browning have really been Here & There. 09/11/98 Page: A8 PREVENTING FIRES ON YOUR BOAT A MUST, THERE'S NO WHERE TO RUN Byline: By Chief Warrant Officer Jim Krzenski On Guard Duty When a fire occurs in a building, we evacuate to the safety of the outdoors and usually turn the fire fighting over to trained professionals. When we aare at sea on our boat however, it is a little different. Our boat is often the only safe haven for many miles around. Because of the distances involved, fire fighting services may be delayed in providing assistance to you. Hence, fires are often referred ot as a boat's worst enemy. Therefore, we must take extra precautions to prevent fires from occurring on our boats and also know how to extinguish them once they ignite. Three elements must be present for a fire to exist. These include heat, fuel and oxygen. When we remove any one of these elements or disrupt the chemical reaction, the fire will be extinguished. There are four classes or types of fires. They are classified according to their fuel source. The fuel for an "A" fire includes wood, paper or any thing that leaves an ash. The best extinguishing agent for an "A" fire is usually water. The fuel for a "B" fire is burning liquids, such as gasoline. The best extinguishing agent for a "B" fire is the application of a special extinguishing foam blanket. Foam is usually not used by the recreational boater. Instead, the recreational boater usually uses a dry chemical powder extinguisher to extinguish a "B" fire. Dry chemical extinguishes the fire by disrupting the fire's chemical reaction. A class "C" fire is the result of electrical current igniting electrical insulation and other electrical components. The preferred extinguishing agent for a class "C" fire is carbon dioxide (CO2). Note that CO2 does not conduct an electrical current whereas water does. You should not use water to extinguish an electricalfire, especially when circuits are charged. CO2 extinguishes a fire by displacing the oxygen. You must be very careful not to asphyxiate yourself when using a CO2 extinguisher while down below or within a compartment (indoors). A class "D" fire includes burning metals such as magnesium. The best extinguishing agent is to jettison them overboard. There are several federal boating safety regulations which specifically help to prevent heat (ignition sources) and fuel from mixing. A regulation the U.S. Coast Guard enforces, which helps to prevent a potential heat ignition source, requires that all vessels with an inboard gasoline engine have a Coast Guard approved backfire flames control device mounted on their carburetors. This device simply prevents an open flame from entering the vessel's engine compartment and igniting any accumulated flammable gasoline vapors. The backfire flame control device must be securely mounted and provide a flame-tight fit. There are several regulations which prohibit the accumulation of fuel and or vapors (gasoline) in your engine compartment and bilges. In addition to the ventilation requirements, regulations prohibit a vessel from being operated with leaking fuel or fuel in its bilges. It has been said that an ounce of gasoline, under the right conditions, contains as much energy as a stick of dynamite. Up until now we have been discussing regulations which help prevent fires from occurring on your vessel.There are many safety practices you should follow to help prevent fires from occurring on your vessels. Gasoline vapors are heavier than air. Therefore, when fueling, we must be sure to close all vents, doors and hatches. This will prevent gasoline vapors from entering your boat's bilges and coming into contact with a possible ignition source. If equipped, you should operate your boat's blower, which is a forced ventilation system, after refueling, for at least five minutes. Chock your confined spaces with your nose, smelling for any possible fuel vapors. When refueling, be sure to keep the hose nozzle in contact with the fill pipe. When gasoline is passing through a pipe it can cause a static electrical charge to build up. A spark between the nozzle and the fill pipe can cause an explosion. Keep your bilges free of dirty rags, oil, paper, etc. Use extreme care when smoking cigarettes, disposing of them correctly. Never smoke when refueling your boat. Due to limited space, this article has only provided an overview of preventing fires on your boat. I strongly encourage that you call the US Coast Guard Customer Information Line at 1(800)368-5647 to find out where and whet a USCG Auxiliary Boating Skills and Seamanship Course will be offered in your area. 09/11/98 Page: A4 Caption: Senior All-Star cheerleader Tara Calhoun will represent Sebastian River at the London New Year's Eve Parade and the Sydney, Australia Royal Easter Parade this winter. TARA CALHOUN TO CHEER THE WORLD Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun Neighbors Sebastian River senior Tara Calhoun will spend two of the next few major holidays overseas. New Year's will find her in London while Easter takes her to Sydney, Australia. She's not a debutante making her Grand Tour before going off to college. Calhoun won invitations to the London New Year's Eve Parade and the Australian Royal Easter Parade after earning All-Star honors at a United Cheerleading Association camp this summer. Calhoun competed with about 60 other cheerleaders at the UCA camp held at the University of Central Florida in July, performing a cheer, chant and jump for judges. "I was nervous," Calhoun said. "I was in the second to last group. My heart was just racing." Thirty, including Calhoun, earned the All-Star designation and an invitation to perform in London, Sydney and at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. Calhoun and her mother had already planned an autumn trip to Europe but scratched those plans for the chance to meet and march with thousands of cheerleaders from around the globe. When she sent her deposit to London recently, Calhoun was told that more than 3,000 cheerleaders have already committed to marching in the parade. Calhoun has been cheerleading with the Sebastian Panthers since she was 7-year-old. A four-year varsity cheerleader at Sebastian River, Calhoun also competes with the Vero Beach All-Stars, an independent competitive cheerleading squad. She has traveled all over the country with the All-Stars and has competed for several national titles, even appearing on ESPN. "I love competing, that's my favorite part about cheerleading," Calhoun said. "Competing is just the best, I love it. Your adrenaline is so much higher at competitions than at games." Now, cheerleading is taking her across the world's two biggest oceans. During a regular week, Calhoun spends almost every weekday either practicing or cheering at a game. Some days she goes directly from a Vero Beach All-Stars practice to a Sebastian River practice, for a total of four hours a day. And that's after a full day of school. "It's so much fun," Calhoun said. "The only day that's really bad is Thursday because I'm down in Vero at 2:30, (Sebastian) at 5:30. It does get exhausting." On the weekends, she works at a Vero Beach yogurt shop, saving some of her money for the trips she plans to take this winter. Since she started cheering nearly 10 years ago, Calhoun said that there have been many changes. Not only have skills become harder, requiring cheerleaders to be stronger and more acrobatic, but squads now compete just as the teams they cheer for do. Even the youngest cheerleaders match their skills against other squads in intense competitions that demand near-perfection for a first-place finish. "It's a lot more competitive," Calhoun said. "You have to be more physical fit nowadays. It's demanding. The jumps keep getting better, the stunts keep getting better, the tumbling keeps getting better and harder, a lot harder." And while cheerleaders occasionally face the old-fashioned stereotypes of being flighty, rah-rah girls, Calhoun said that cheerleaders have begun to earn the respect that their hours of hard work deserve. "Even the football players are like, 'We could never do that kind of stuff, we couldn't toss girls up in the air all the time'," Calhoun said. "But there are some people who still say, 'Cheerleaders aren't athletes.' It's going to be like that for awhile." While Calhoun continues to concentrate on the All-Stars and the Sharks, she can't stop dreaming about her upcoming visits to England and Australia. The only thing left is to get together the thousands of dollars needed for the trip where she'll represent Sebastian River High School to an international audience. "I'm running out of time, the money is due in by November and January," Calhoun said. "I am putting money away towards it." In addition to working every weekend, Calhoun also is hoping area businesses and residents might be able to help her go. To donate money toward Calhoun's trip, call the Sebastian River athletic office at 564-4362. 09/11/98 Page: A11 WEEK IN REVIEW Beating suspect called, 'armed, dangerous' Sediment from the Sebastian River carries phosphorous and nitrates into its waters, and development along its shores destroys its mangroves. But while these are problems facing the Indian River, its waters also provide a home to many important species of fish and wildlife, and its future is not all gloom and doom, many environmentalists say. These were just a few of the discussions that surfaced Tuesday, Sept. 1, at the first State of the Indian River Lagoon Conference in Melbourne. More than 200 environmentalists and concerned citizens attended the conference, which was sponsored by St. Johns River Water Management District and Marine Resources Council. The purpose of the conference, organizers said, was to make environmental agencies aware of their roles in protecting the river, as well as heighten general public awareness of the state of the river. Throughout the day, representatives of groups, such as St. Johns and the state Department of Environmental Protection, relayed updates on problems affecting the lagoon, such as polluted sediment, algae growth and depletion of mangroves. Others spoke of positive forces affecting the river, such as land acquisition and restoration plans. Whitney Green, environmental specialist for St. Johns, said storm-water runoff was one such issue that needed to be dealt with. By the year 2000, he said, nearly half of the river, which stretches from Volusia County to Martin County, will be urbanized. This means an increase in polluted water running into canals and, eventually, into the river. One area in Indian River County that needs to be improved, said Martin Smithson, director of the Indian River Lagoon Program Office for St. Johns, is the amount of sediment clogging the bottom of the Sebastian River. There are 2 million to 3 million cubic yards of muck on the Sebastian River's bottom, he said. This muck originates from homes and is carried by canals into the Sebastian River, and eventually into the Indian River. This nitrate-rich sediment causes the water to become murky. This, as a result, kills seagrasses that grow on the river's bottom, and in turn has an effect on the other marine life in the river. Lynn Stieglitz, vice president of the Friends of the St. Sebastian River, said residents can help reduce the amount of sediments in their own yards. By making small changes, such as not washing cars in cement driveways or blowing grass clippings onto the roads and into ditches, the amount of sediments carried into the river can be decreased. "If each person realized that the individual makes a difference, they would understand that everyone is in this thing together," she said. Inlet Tax District votes to keep rollback rate Perhaps it is because no tax increase was in the balance, but no one from the public showed up at the McLarty Museum and Visitor's Center Thursday night during a public hearing on the tax rate for the Sebastian Inlet Tax District. "I was surprised there was no public interest in this important meeting," said Commission Chairman George W. Maxwell III after the meeting. The tax rate will remain at its rollback level of 10.08 cents per $1,000 of property value, a slight decrease from the current year's 10.14 cents, if the commission votes again to keep it at that rate. Rollback is the property tax rate that would raise revenue equal to the prior year, excluding any new construction or development. "For the 11th year in a row, we have not increased taxes," district Administrator Ray LeRoux said. Because the rate has already been reported to the taxing authorities in both Brevard and Indian River counties, it could only be decreased. The commission voted 5-0 in favor of the 10.08-cent rate at its meeting Thursday. Following a final vote on the rate, slated for 6 p.m. Sept. 15 at the commission's Indialantic offices at 114 Sixth Ave., the tax rate would mean that a person owning a $75,000 home and claiming a $25,000 homestead exemption would pay about $5.04 a year in property taxes to the district. During Thursday's commission meeting, commissioners also voted 4-1 to accept the first of two readings of the commission's budget for fiscal 1999. LeRoux described next year's budget as a "continuation budget." The largest chunk of the budget pie will go to beach replenishment, the seventh time in LeRoux's 11 years as the commission's administrator. That piece of the $2,232,778 budget will be $864,000. The second biggest segment of the budget will go to legal fees. A total of $508,320 will be spent to "protect the district's taxpayers," LeRoux said, from a lawsuit filed by a group of landowners who live south of Sebastian Inlet, who are known collectively as the Downdrift Coalition. Downdrift Coalition members want the tax district to replenish the beaches in front of their homes to greater levels than currently are being done. The tax district claims that it is only required to replenish the sand lost to disruption of the sand's natural migration down the beach by Sebastian Inlet, which was dug in 1918, to levels since 1988 legislation. That state law requires inlet taxing districts to make up or mitigate any sand the inlets prevent from reaching downdrift beaches. Coalition members contend that loss should be for sand lost before the legislation as well. A state Department of Environmental Protection engineer dealt the taxing district a blow last month when he said that historical levels of sand loss should be considered in any plan that attempts to stabilize sand levels below the inlet. The budget should receive its final reading and adoption at the Sept. 15 meeting in Indialantic. Both the budget and the tax rate would become effective Oct. 1. City police officers won't escape tests Sebastian Police Chief Randy White still plans to require police officers to take physical agility tests next year. He just won't be able to fire them if they can't pass the test. Union representatives balked Wednesday, Sept. 2, at including the tests in the police officers' new contract if demotions or termination were attached to the tests. Anything that might result in disciplinary action has to be bargained for in contract negotiations, White said. "I didn't want to sit there and tie up the whole thing," he said. The union and the city reached a tentative agreement for a new three-year contract, which now has to be ratified by City Council and the union members. White said he wanted to have a policy established by next year that would require officers to take the tests as part of their annual evaluation. A note could be added to their evaluation and placed in their personnel file if they don't pass, he said. "There's just no penalties," he said. White's proposed test includes running sprints, dragging a dummy and lifting an object onto a table. He said he thinks his officers can pass the test with no trouble. "Some of these guys could breeze through it without breaking a sweat," he said. But, he said, he had hoped to make promotions or certain assignments contingent on successfully completing the test. White hopes to start the tests by next year, giving him time to set up the procedures and to give everyone fair warning, he said. The idea is to make sure Sebastian officers are physically fit and able to do the job. White also plans on helping officers with medical help in diet and fitness training if they can't pass the test, but wanted a policy that had some consequences if officers couldn't pass after several attempts. Fellsmere's budget to keep taxes static With a proposed budget that does not increase property taxes during the next fiscal year, the city of Fellsmere's first public hearing was over in 15 minutes as no citizens showed up to discuss it Thursday evening, Sept. 3. A second and final hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 17. The City Council will vote whether to approve the fiscal 1999 budget during its 7 p.m. meeting following the forum. The new budget year would start Oct. 1. The property tax rate will remain at $5.75 for every $1,000 of assessed property. Adjusting for the $25,000 homestead exemption, the owner of a $50,000 house would pay $143.75. Fellsmere expects the same property tax rate to generate $13,600 in additional revenue, from $141,800 to $155,400, since property values have increased from last year, Larry Napier, the director of finances and accounting for Fellsmere, said. The city is planning on a total budget of about $3.5 million, with $1,054,690 for the general fund, $357,000 for infrastructure, $650,000 for grant projects, $346,210 for enterprise projects such as water services and $1,407,000 for capital improvements. The projected general fund is less $30,000 than this year as the city is budgeting less money for the contingencies, Napier said. Fellsmere has a fund balance of about $300,000. Napier said he would like to build that up to about $400,000. The city will provide merit salary raises for up to 4 percent for employees, Napier said. In other business, the city approved an amusements and concessions contract for the Frog Leg Festival in January. Council may ask voters for charter review OK Sebastian voters may be deciding this March whether to have a periodic review of the city charter. At a workshop Wednesday, City Council directed interim City Attorney Tim Williams to draft a proposed referendum question asking voters to change the city charter to create a charter review committee every seven years. The council doesn't have to go through a referendum to form the committee, but the council decided to make the charter review part of the city charter. Changing the city charter requires voter approval. "I think the voters would appreciate having a say," said Vice Mayor Martha Wininger, who first brought up the issue of a charter review. If approved, a 15-member committee would be formed by the council no later than April 15, and would be reformed every seven years to review the charter. Once created, the committee would have six months to develop final recommendations and hold two public hearings before presenting those recommendations to the council. The council then would consider an ordinance placing those recommendations on a future referendum. Mrs. Wininger suggested 15 members on the recommendation of a recent Florida League of Cities seminar on charter review. She said the seminar recommended having a small enough group that decisions could be reached, but large enough to weed out any personal agendas a person may want to see for the city. "When you have 15, it's more likely to iron out specific agendas," she said. Councilwoman Louise Cartwright suggested allowing property owners to serve on the committee instead of limiting it to just residents. "(Property owners) have a right to share in this constitutional review," she said. Mayor Ruth Sullivan, Mrs. Wininger and Councilman Chuck Neuberger, however, favored only residents, as stipulated in the codes referring to committee memberships. "The voters are going to decide on the charter. Voters have to be a legal resident of the community," Mrs. Sullivan said. Sebastian police union nets wage increases Sebastian patrol officers and sergeants would get a raise bringing salaries more in line with surrounding cities under a tentative agreement reached Wednesday, Sept. 2, by the police union and management. They would not, however, be required to pass physical and firearms proficiency tests proposed by the police chief as a condition of their continued employment. The agreement, which still must be ratified by officers and City Council, increases the salary scale for the city's five sergeants by 21 percent over the next three years, or 7 percent each year. Salary scale for the city's 21 patrol officers would increase by 6 percent - 2 percent each year - over the next three years. In addition, each sergeant and patrol officer would be eligible for a 3 percent step increase on his anniversary date. "I think (the contract) is very fair. I think the city's doing the right thing," said Pat McGuire, executive director of the Coastal Florida Police Benevolence Association, which represents the city's 26 officers. The sergeants' raises will start new sergeants at $28,999, still below $33,707, the average salary paid to sergeants in Brevard, Indian River and St. Lucie counties. The union originally asked for a 24 percent increase phased in by 8 percent increments each year, but agreed to the 7 percent compromise. Sebastian sergeants now start at $27,102. Patrol officers, with a new starting salary of $25,289, also will be more in line with the average salary of $25,368, he said. Patrol officers currently start at $24,793. Sebastian interim Human Resources Director Paul Horsey agreed the proposed contract is fair. "Our sergeants are well underpaid from surrounding cities," he said. He didn't have figures as to how much the proposed raises will cost the city, but said he stayed within the limits of the proposed fiscal 1999 budget. Union representatives balked at White's proposal to add an annual test for physical agility and firearm proficiency, saying officers who didn't pass the test shouldn't get penalized with demotions or termination. "We'll never get a pay raise before you get that stuff in there," McGuire told White. McGuire said White could develop a departmental policy for the annual tests, which the union would be willing to help create. He said if the city wants officers physically fit, a program should be developed so the officers can get into shape while on the city clock. White said he wanted to be able to have a policy that had some consequences attached if the officer couldn't pass the test after several attempts. "If you want to be a police officer, there are certain expectations," he said. Under White's proposal, the tests would have been given in October 1999 - one year away - and that re-tests would have been allowed. "There ought to be some consequences." The current three-year contract ends Sept. 30. Horsey said the proposed agreement could be presented to the council at the Sept. 23 meeting. Family may sue over boy's lightning hit A lawyer for a boy struck by lightning said Barefoot Bay was "negligently involved" and wants the name of Barefoot Bay's insurance company. So far, the Talamantez family has not received a sympathy card from any Barefoot Bay official, said Pamela Talamantez, the mother of Danny, the 13-year-old victim. "We have lived here for 10 years," Ms. Talamantez said. "You would think they would do something. After it happened, they didn't even call us to see how he was doing." During an Aug. 12 thunderstorm, Danny and other teens sought shelter under a metal-roof gazebo in Barefoot Bay Park after security guards shooed them away from a wooden pavilion owned by Florida Cities Water. Danny suffered severe burns to his chest when lightning struck. Friends Rick Hite, 17, and Bobby Lawley, 16, blame the security guard for putting them in harm's way. Danny, however, does not remember what happened, his mother said. Ms. Talamantez wants someone to look into the incident. "I feel like if you're going to put my son's life into your hands, you're going to have to pay for it," Ms. Talamantez said. Attorney Douglas W. Tuttle, who could not be reached for comment, made his request for insurance information to the Barefoot Bay Home Owners Association in a letter dated Aug. 27. Chris Riesenbeck, president of the Home Owners Association, said the letter shouldn't have been sent to her organization and referred questions about it to the Recreation District. Mitchell Barlow, the lawyer for the Barefoot Bay Recreation District, said Tuttle is going after the wrong party since the Recreation District owns the property and employs the security guards in question. 09/11/98 Page: A11 Caption: BOAT TRAILERS AND CARS SHARED the parking lot between County Road 512 and Coolidge Street with piles of dirt and machinery over Labor Day weekend because the area is undergoing new construction to improve the parking area. The parking lot construction at the former CAV Corp. property comes from a $600,000 Community Development Grant the city got in 1996 09/11/98 Page: A8 VA CLINIC HAS NEW STAFF Byline: Dave McAllister Veterans' Voice First, a great big "Thanks" to Dick Higgins for doing the work of two during this past summer. He faithfully kept you up-to-date with current issues affecting your veterans benefits while I took a break to put my thoughts in order. We will now return to our every other week routine. I had a couple of reasons to stop by the Palm Bay VA Clinic over the summer months. The place is buzzing with activity. Morning or afternoon, the telephone rings constantly and usually there are three or four veterans waiting to be seen. Al and Art could certainly use some help with the telephone. If any of you readers have a few spare hours for answering the telephone and taking messages it would be a big help. Stop by and talk to Al; he'll be happy to see you. There has been an increase and a change in staffing at the Palm Bay VA Clinic. The new physician is Dr. Daniel Lawson, who replaces Dr. O'Halloran. Paul Hagood, a physicians assistant at the Viera VA Clinic also is on board; and Rick Pugh is the administrative officer. I haven't met either of these gentlemen personally, but I have had the opportunity to talk with Rick Pugh on the telephone. Rick will be the administrative officer. The construction phase of that operation is expected to be finished by February 1999. I intend to visit the site in the next week or so. Some of my friends tell me the concrete slabs are in place and walls are going up! The contractor, some of his employees and Rep. Dave Weldon are all confident the facility will be in operation by its scheduled date of April 1, 1999. I had called Rick because I had a concern about the $5 million East Central Florida "Pilot Project." Some of you may or may not be aware that when a veteran passes away while a patient at a VA medical facility, all expenses related to preparation of the body for burial or cremation, autopsy (when indicated), and transportation of the remains, are absorbed by the VA. So, what about a veteran that passes away at a local VA contracted hospital - one of those in the "pilot project?" Are the expenses still covered by the VA? The answer is yes. Since the veteran was in anauthorized in-patient treatment at the contracted medical facility, the VA considers the veteran to be in the same category as if hospitalized at a VA medical facility (e.g., Tampa VA or West Palm Beach VA). The long awaited van to be operated as the "South Mainland Shuttle" is finally here! As most of our volunteer drivers are still "up north," the van can only operate two days each week (Wednesdays and Thursdays). As more of the drivers return, we will expand the schedule. There hasn't been a whole lot of publicity concerning the van to date, and, as a result, we haven't had a single request for transportation assistance. In the next couple of weeks, you will be seeing and hearing a lot more about the South Mainland Shuttle. We expect the van will give some needed relief to the volunteers in the "Helping Hands" organization. The number to call to make a reservation for the van is 952-4672. Reservations must be made three days in advance. We can still use more volunteer drivers from anywhere in the area between Micco and Valkaria. If interested, give a call to Mike Cunningham at 664-8364; Dick Higgins at 664-5502 or me at 664-7029. Thanks. Plans are under way for another big parade on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. This also will be the first anniversary of our 50-state flag display. Quite a few of those that carried their state flag in last year's ceremonial dedication have expressed their opinion that it might be a good idea to have the "Parade of Flags" annually. Many found it to be an emotional experience and an honor to represent their state. What do you think? Let me hear from you. - Dave McAllister is the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4425 service officer. 09/11/98 Page: A2 Caption: Bob's Spirits liquor store partners (from left) Dale DeCamp, Jim Simmons, Phyllis DeCamp and Jeanette Bartelson stand in the "wine nook" of their new store in the Summit Plaza in Micco. BOB'S SPIRITS IS FULL OF BARTELSON'S SPIRIT Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun Business Profile Bob's Spirits could be called a "custom" liquor store - as in "custom"ers are the first priority and the inventory can be "custom"ized to fit their needs. President Jeanette Bartelson, General Manager Dale DeCamp, Financial Manager Phyllis DeCamp and Assistant Manager Jim Simmons know what the residents of Micco and Barefoot Bay want, because they are residents themselves. "We're your friendly package store," Mrs. DeCamp said. That's why they opened Bob's Spirits liquor store in Micco on Aug. 1. They saw a need for a neighborhood package store that would cater to local residents. "We saw a need for this location," Bartelson said. "We put on our advertisements, 'Owned and managed by your neighbors.' We're not looking to be big-time, we just want to be your neighborhood liquor store." One resident was so excited by the opening of the store she arrived at 7:55 a.m. on the first day so she could be the first customer in the door at 8 a.m., Bartelson said. Bob's Spirits offers a delivery service for those who don't feel like driving or carrying heavy packages. It's also a handy service for someone hosting a party and discounts are available when buying a case of alcohol. Bob's Spirits will take care of delivering whatever alcohol is needed, from beer to fine wine to mixes or liqueur and can arrange catering, leaving the party hosts a few less things to worry about. "We have a delivery service to help the residents of Barefoot Bay and Snug Harbor," Bartelson said. The partners of Bob's Spirits also will tend bar at the party, freeing the hosts to mingle and enjoy the occasion, assured their guests will get the refreshments they want. Partner Dale DeCamp, who has 20 years experience in the liquor business, also can help recommend the perfect drink for any occasion. "I've been known to mix a few drinks," DeCamp said with a laugh. "I've poured a few drinks in my time." DeCamp keeps abreast of the latest and most popular labels, so customers can try something new while being confident they'll find their old favorites on Bob's Spirits' shelves. "He has the expertise to make recommendations to customers," Bartelson said. Bob' Spirits also honors all manufacturer's coupons and will order any type of alcohol it doesn't regularly carry, so customers don't have to travel to Palm Bay or Vero Beach to a liquor superstore to find what they want. "We give personal service," DeCamp said. "If somebody wants something, we'll do anything we can to get it. Even if they want one bottle of it, we'll get it for them." A Danish customer recently was looking for a particular liqueur from Denmark that he hadn't been able to find anywhere. Bob's Spirits ordered it for him and now he patronizes the store regularly for all of his alcohol needs. "We got it for him and now he comes back for beer and other things," DeCamp said. "And now he's sending other people here. It's good business because we have a customer for life now." There's also a request book for customers to list the types of wine, beer or liquor they'd like to see in the store. "If someone comes in and asks why we don't carry something, we'll write it down and make sure we have it next time," Mrs. DeCamp said. Bob's Spirits will also chill a bottle of wine so it will be ready when a customer comes to pick it up. In addition to a wide variety of beer, wine and alcohol, Bob's Spirits also carries cigarettes, snacks, soft drinks, non-alcoholic beer and lottery tickets. "We've had several comments that we have the coldest beer around," DeCamp said. Warmly carpeted and pleasantly decorated, Bob's Spirits feels more like someone's home than a chilly liquor store. "It doesn't look like a big tiled, sterile, cold-looking store," Bartelson said. Bartelson, Simmons and the DeCamps have been friends for years and that feeling extends to whomever walks into the store. You'll come away with more than just a good bottle of wine from Bob's Spirits. You're just as likely to pick up some pleasant conversation, as well. "We don't rush you in and rush you out," Bartelson said. The partners named the store in memory of Bartelson's late husband, Bob, and the spirit of love and friendship they felt for him pervade the store. Bob's Spirits logo is a bottle with wings. "He's with us all the time," Mrs. DeCamp said. "If you knew Bob, you would know that he's here," DeCamp agreed. Bob's Spirits is scheduled to hold its official grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 17, which will feature a ribbon cutting by the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, alcohol specials and a prize drawing. Bob's Spirits is located in Unit 2 of the Summit Plaza at 8530 U.S. 1 in Micco. The store is open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday. Bob's Spirits can be reached at 664-BOBS (2627) and customers can fax requests to 663-BOBS. 09/11/98 Page: A2 Caption: Micco resident Beth Perez has volunteered for numerous charitable projects. She is the current chairperson of the Fellsmere Frogleg Festival. FROGLEG FESTIVAL FEEDS WOMAN'S NEED TO HELP Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun A Moment In The Sun Beth Perez enjoyed cooking frog legs years before she had ever heard of the Fellsmere Frogleg Festival. "I love to cook and I've always loved to try things that are different," Perez said. "So years ago I got into frog legs." But as the annual festival's current chairperson, Perez uses more of her organizing skills than her cooking skills. Chairing the festival is a six-month job that begins the June before the January weekend of feasting. The Eighth Annual Fellsmere Frogleg Festival is scheduled for Jan. 14 through the 17. "My duties are everything that nobody else wants to do, I suppose," Perez said, laughing. "No, I've been recruiting people and initiating them into what their duties are. Kind of organizing the whole event. I keep everybody going in the right direction." It will take all her skills as a planner to put together the event that last year drew about 80,000 people to the small North County town. "Last year was just absolutely incredible, I was just amazed," Perez said. "When you think that what we're doing is we're selling frog leg dinners .... That's the attraction." This is Perez's fifth year as a volunteer for the festival and when she first started, she wasn't even a resident of the area. While working on the PEP Reef Project in Vero Beach for her Palm Beach County company, Perez befriended County Commissioner Fran Adams who convinced her to visit the unusual festival Adams had helped create. "She's the one who said, 'Beth, you have got to come to the festival,' " Perez said. "So I did and I was thrilled, I thought this was just so cool." Perez said she was charmed by the festival's uniqueness and the area's friendly, small-town atmosphere and has been volunteering ever since. "When you're living in Palm Beach County, you don't really get to see that small-town flavor," Perez said. "And I just truly, truly enjoyed the people out there. It's real old Florida." This year, in addition to the traditional deep-fried frog legs and beverage concessions, Perez has invited Fellsmere Save-Our-Schools volunteers to set up a dessert bar. In return, part of the festival revenue will be donated to the Save-Our-Schools group. "You can go in and have a piece of chocolate cake after your frog legs," Perez said. And as someone who has volunteered many hours to youth charities, including working as the Guardian Ad Litem in Palm Beach County for five years, Perez loved the fact that the revenue generated by the festival helps support groups such as the Fellsmere recreation department, the Boy Scouts and the high school. "All of my volunteer years have been doing things for the benefit of the kids in one way or another," Perez said. "And the Fellsmere Frogleg Festival is a little bit more fun but it was still accomplishing the same goals." Since 1994, the Fellsmere Frogleg Festival has donated $82,000 to the city and the surrounding community. "It think that the people in this community realize that it is for a good purpose and that it's a good volunteer effort," Perez said. "All of this money is going back into the City of Fellsmere. So people want to come out and buy frog legs." She finally made the area her home two years ago, settling on the Sebastian River in Micco with her husband, Rappy. She's now a financial advisor with Perez and Associates, which she runs with her husband. Mr. Perez is also a tireless volunteer in the Sebastian River Area and helped organize the most recent Blue Water Open sportfishing tournament, held annually by the Exchange Club of Sebastian. Mrs. Perez is an Exchange Club member as well. Perez said her mother recently asked why she's willing to give up so much of her free time to volunteer. And her answer was that she feels a strong need to give back to the community. "I think we all have a responsibility to do something," Perez said. "And I'm very fortunate because my husband and I are running our business here and it's the type of business that lends itself so that I can spend time doing this. And I get to meet a lot of really cool people." Birthdate: Dec. 9, 1953 Birthplace: Chicago, Ill. Education: Palm Beach Community College. Family: husband, Rappy; son, Matthew. The best part of my job is: I'm a project-oriented person. I like building consensus, completing things and meeting cool people. What I like the least about my job is: I can't think of anything, it's all fun to me. The person I admire the most is: a composite of successful women who have achieved success in all facets of their lives. The most recent movie I saw in a theater was: "Out of Sight". The book I'd recommend everyone to read is: "A Widow for One Year" by John Irving.My favorite food is: Cajun. If I were going on a trip to the moon, I would take along: warm clothes. When I was growing up, I always wanted to be: a lawyer. The person I would most like to meet is: Madelaine Albright. My proudest moment is: when my son graduated from high school. My favorite sports team is: The Florida State Seminoles and the Sebastian River Sharks. My favorite television show is: "Chicago Hope". On my last vacation, I visited: New Orleans, La. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: make a pot of coffee, get the newspaper and feed the cats. The type of music I enjoy the most is: old blues and jazz but I love all kinds of music. People who know me the best know: I'm a hard worker and like to have fun. The most exciting time in my life was: When I worked with Women Ship out of Annapolis, Md. teaching women how to sail and I sailed from Miami to Galveston, Texas. Also when I worked on the Vero Beach PEP Reef Project. Those experiences gave me a real sense of accomplishment. 09/11/98 Page: B1 Keywords: Baseball KIDS NEED TO LEARN HOW TO LOSE Byline: Bill Valyo Did you ever get to a local little league or high school baseball game late and you just get yourself settled in to a seat behind home plate and the umpire makes the announcement to the crowd that the game is over? You look up at the score board and it's only the fifth inning of a seven-inning game and although the score looks a bit lopsided, you lean over and ask the guy next to you to explain what is happening. Chances are he doesn't know either because the umpires just called the game because of a relatively new wrinkle in little league and high school baseball today ... the 10-run mercy rule. You see, coaches and powers that be have inserted that bit of chicanery to the game because: A. They don't feel that a team behind 10 runs with two innings to play can come back to score enough runs to tie or win the game. B. They are sick and tired of watching their kids get slaughtered. C. They have something on the stove at home that needs tending to. I know, I know don't write "When I was a kid" at this point. But I've just got to. When I was a kid there wasn't a rule like that around because coaches knew if they put it in there would be a bunch of kids chasing them down the street with a bat. Don't cut the game short and lose maybe two more times up to the plate for me. The team winning didn't want to see it happen and the team losing felt we still had a chance or if not, it would get me a couple more swings to practice. Isn't that what counts the most? After all, you go to a ball park in the hope that you can show off your wares. If you are having a bad day, then practice in the innings that are left. Umpire in chief of the Sebastian area Little League, Chuck Johnson, says that "the rule has its pros and cons and it can eliminate humiliation." Mike Stutske, the athletic director of the Sebastian River High School says that "if you have a seven-inning game scheduled ... play it." He adds, "It's like a runner who is running a long race, you don't quit if you're behind. You finish the race." Leo Tocci, the outspoken guru of Barefoot Bay softball says "the senior players here have been using it for a year now. We had many games of that type this year." This writer agrees with the athletic director. Play the game as scheduled. You always learn from adversity. 09/11/98 Page: B1 SRHS STUDENTS TAKE THE INITIATIVE, START SPIRIT CLUB Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun A group of Sebastian River students decided it was time their school starting showing its spirit. Over the summer, senior Christine Spencer and 14 of her friends formed the "Sharkettes" spirit club almost as a joke, according to member Beth Eggen. "It think it started as a joke and we didn't think it would actually happen," Eggen said. "But the more we thought about it, the more we knew we wanted to show our appreciation for all of the high school athletes." On the first day of school, the members donned T-shirts and silver skirts with fur fringes they had made themselves. "On the first day of school, I think people thought it was kind of shocking," Spencer said of coming to school in their new club's uniform. "The whole courtyard was quiet when we walked in. It was something silly to catch people's eyes." But by the time the Kickoff Classic came around on Aug. 28, the Sharkettes were a joke no longer. "We wanted something fun to do and show the spirit we have for Sebastian River High School," Spencer said. The girls decorated the football players' lockers and baked cookies for them. They also gave many players T-shirts to wear that say, "I love the Sharkettes." "I think they really enjoyed it," Spencer said. "It's a treat for them and gets them all pepped up. They've never really had anything like this before." At the game, they pulled the Shark mascot across the field, stood on the sidelines and circulated in the stands to get people to cheer for the team. "We're like fans who are a little bit louder and more involved," Spencer said. Their antics were so successful, Spencer said she's making four more skirts for new members and has heard interest from dozens more students - including boys. "More and more people want to join," Spencer said. No, the boys won't have to wear the trademark, fur-fringed silver skirts. They'll be decked out in matching shorts and T-shirts. The new, coed group will be called the "Spirit Club," and have an official faculty sponsor. Spencer said the club will participate in pep rallies and sell spirit ribbons before games. And they're not interested in just supporting the football team. Spencer said there will be Spirit Club members at the home games of every sport. While students in all classes belong to the club, Spencer said being in the group is especially meaningful for the senior members. "We're all leaving soon and it will be nice to say we started a new tradition," Spencer said. Head football coach Randy Bethel said he was pleased to see the student body come together to support athletics. Students are supposed to have fun in high school and it really helps teams to know that their school supports them, he said. Eggen, who is also a soccer player on the high school varsity team, believes that student support really does help teams perform better. "It encourages you more with people behind you, telling you, 'We believe in you,' " Eggen said. Athletic Director Michael Stutzke agreed. He said he was proud to see a group of students take the initiative to start a fun tradition at the four-year-old high school. And if a team wins or loses, it doesn't matter to the Spirit Club, Eggen said. The club is designed to support all teams equally and to show appreciation for the hard work that the athletes do. "We'll support our athletes no matter what," Eggen said. "Most of us are friends anyway. They support us, we support them." 09/11/98 Page: B1 Keywords: Golf Caption: Seventeen-year-old St. Ed's senior Walter Hinson putts on the ninth hole at the Sebastian Open over the Labor Day weekend. GOLF TOURNEY WEATHERS RAIN Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun Even after rain wiped out nearly all of the first day of play, a record number of golfers turned out for the third annual Sebastian Open at the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course over the Labor Day weekend. "I'm still a little shell-shocked over the rain we had to deal with," Course Pro Greg Gardner said. "But I think it went pretty well. We weathered it." And while the greens were a little soggy, the rough was high and there was tough pin-placement, the competition was as tough as ever. "It was very challenging," first-flight, super-senior winner Ronald Locke said. Golf director Pat Cerjan credits Course Superintendent Robert Etheridge for what golfer after golfer called the incredible condition of the course. "They should be complimented for this," tournament participant Dan Ahlfeld said. "I think that this will turn into a great tradition." This year saw the addition to two new divisions: a super-senior division for golfers over 65 and a professional division. The Sebastian Open is one of just a few individual stroke play tournaments in the area which is one reason, Gardner said, for the continued popularity of the tournament. In the inaugural tournament, just 86 players participated. Last year, that number rose to 107. This year, the tournament saw a record 192 golfers compete. Rain halted play early on Saturday, forcing most divisions to settle for just nine holes. On Sunday, however, the weather cooperated and all the flights got in a full 18 holes. The men's flight was the only one that got in the planned 36 holes. The directors didn't alter the rules of the tournament because of the rain, either. "Sometimes after it pours in a tournament, you'll have what's called 'lift, clean and place'," Gardner said. "Some people call that 'lift, clean and cheat.' But we didn't want to do that. It slows everybody down. The course actually dried half-way decent." Still, the weather didn't deter the golfers from enjoying the two-day tournament. Jack Ferenz won $250 dollars by winning the new professional division. He shot 100 for 27 holes, including a five-under 67 on the second day. Brad Bergstrom gets his name on the championship trophy after shooting a one-under 71 on Sunday in the men's championship flight, for a two-day, 27-hole total of 101. William Granger won the first flight senior division with a 72 on Sunday and Locke christened the super-senior division on Sunday, winning with a 75. Mimi Roll topped the ladies division after shooting a 77 on Sunday and St. Edward's senior golf-team member Walter Hinson took first place in the 15- to 17-year-old junior division with a two-under 70 for 18 holes. R. Newman shot an 86 for 18 holes to win the 12-14-year-old junior division while Steven Joseph won with a 42 over nine holes. Katharine Stoddard won the girls division, shooting a 91 for nine holes. Locke, who also played in the first tournament, said the tournament was very competitive and it was just luck that allowed him to come out on top. "It was very tough," Locke said of the super-senior division. "The guys in my foursome, they were four super golfers. They could play anywhere, it just wasn't their day." Despite the fact they got rained out on Saturday, Hinson and Brock Ahtala, who took second place in the 15- to 17-year old junior division, enjoyed the challenging pin-placement. "It's a little hot, a little muggy and the greens are a little wet but it gives me a good idea of a challenge," Ahtala said. Ahlfeld took second place in the first-flight senior division, shooting 116 for 27 holes over the two days. He said he started off slow on the first day but recovered on Sunday for the second-place finish. "I bogeyed four of the first five holes (on Saturday), a couple of three-putts," Ahlfeld said. "I came around (Sunday). I made some 6- to 7-foot putts for par on the back side that I needed." It was the first time he played in the Sebastian Open but anticipates playing again next year. "It's a good local tournament, it's got some great players and that's why I wanted to play," Ahlfeld said. "I love, more than anything else, that they have something for the juniors, something for the women. I had a great time and I'm going to do it again." 09/11/98 Page: B1 Keywords: Volleyball Caption: Sebastian River freshmen volleyball players Sara (left) and Tara Bess face many challenges as identical twins on the same team. TWINS SPELL DOUBLE-TROUBLE FOR OPPONENTS OF THE SHRS TEAM Byline: Linda Rothstein Sara and Tara Bess look alike, sound alike, play the same sports and share most of the same classes. But for those who know the identical twins, the similarities end there. "I think that Sara is nicer sometimes and Tara is more brave, more daring," lifelong friend Nicole Fisher said. The differences in their personalities are reflected in the positions they play on the Sebastian River High School freshmen volleyball team. Tara, the more outspoken of the two, starts at outside hitter. Hitters are usually the most aggressive players on the floor, making the high-jumping, hard-swinging kills that result in points. "When you hit, it's kind of like you're in control," Tara said. "It's kind of a face-off with the other team. You get credit for it. There's more action and I like to be in control." Sara, self-described as shy, starts at setter. Setters put the ball in the correct position for hitters to spike the ball and rarely are responsible for points. Like offensive linemen, setters don't earn statistics to prove their skill. "I never really tried attacking," Sara said. "I can just set better. But I feel bad if I don't get the right set." Both were members of last year's Sebastian River Middle School undefeated volleyball team. As two-year starters, the Bess twins had the luxury of playing on back-to-back conference championship teams. And although this year's freshman squad primarily is made up of members of the winning middle school team, the competition they will face and the skills they will need to win are much tougher than anything they've experienced before. Still, knowing your teammates counts for a lot, Tara said, and she expects the freshman team to have a respectable season. The 15-year-olds shatter most of the stereotypes associated with identical twins. They haven't dressed the same since they were toddlers and shudder at the idea of doing it now. "We never, ever wear the same thing," Tara said. They often finish each other's sentences but attribute that just to spending so much time together. "We get those questions all the time, 'Can you tell what she's thinking?' " Sara said. Sara hopes to study business in college, Tara wants to pursue the medical field. And when asked if they are good friends, they roll their eyes and answer, "Not really." They take every opportunity they can to get away from one another. "Being together all the time is just too much," Sara said. Although they share the same circle of friends, they try to socialize with different people in the group. "We'll go to a football game together but I'll leave with someone and she'll leave with someone else," Tara said. They and their close friends swear they don't look anything alike but to someone who doesn't know them well, it's very hard to tell them apart. "I don't think I look like Sara at all," Tara said. "We don't look alike at all." They usually sit next to one another in class and often hit next to one another in a softball lineup. The twins usually play next to each other on the volleyball court and they wear consecutive numbers on their jerseys. All this makes it very confusing for teachers and coaches who often blame or praise the wrong sister. "When we walk in, sit down, we're usually next to each other in alphabetical order and the teacher will be like, 'Which one are you?' " Tara said. "If one of us is late, they have to check and see. In gym, if Sara didn't dress out, they sometimes mark me like I didn't dress out." Looking virtually identical even lost them a point in a SRMS volleyball game last year. The opposing coach accused the Cowboys of a double-hit, which would force them to forfeit possession of the ball, when Tara and Sara actually had made consecutive hits. The referee couldn't tell them apart either and awarded the ball to the opposing team. "We were so mad," Tara said. Tara said she often hears the questions, "Do you have a sister on this team?" or "Were you playing first base last inning?" when she takes off her catcher's mask on the softball field. Even their own mother, Tara said, sometimes can't tell them apart and has a hard time differentiating their voices on the phone. Where they are the same, however, is in their commitment to playing sports. Both started playing T-ball when they were 7 and have continued to play Little League ever since. They both play on the Sun Devils traveling softball team and both started playing volleyball two years ago. They both plan to try out for the SRHS softball team in the spring. They both hope to play sports in college although Tara would prefer a softball scholarship while Sara would rather earn one in volleyball. The Bess name already graces the Sebastian River gym, affectionately known as the "Shark Tank." Shawn Bess, the twins' older sister, was a member of the 1995 district championship volleyball team and went on to play at Northwood University in West Palm Beach. Tara and Sara attribute their interest in volleyball to their sister and their love of sports to their grandparents. "Growing up around it kind of makes you want to play," Sara said. "Our grandparents get more excited about it than we do. My grandfather's usually back there coaching us in softball behind the plate." 09/11/98 Page: A1 FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: Somebody stole a cream-colored, Pomeranian puppy from Kuntry Kritters pet shop in Roseland. And a few days later, the 8-week-old pet showed up unharmed, and in the arms of its new master, Alexandria Ptach. Ptach had just fallen in love with the little dog and purchased him at a Vero Beach pet shop called Mr. Pets. Later that same day, she realized it was her new puppy on the front page of the Vero Beach Press-Journal, and that it had been stolen in Roseland. So the Roseland pet store owners reimbursed the Vero Beach pet store owners for what they paid for the "hot" puppy, and Ptach paid Kuntry Kritters pet shop $500 for her new puppy in exchange for the pet's complete medical records and papers. 09/11/98 Page: A1 Caption: Gostomski CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Greg Gostomski AGE: 65 BIRTHPLACE: Baltimore MOVED HERE: 1990 COMMUNITY SERVICE: Riverside Church Assembly of God HOBBIES: Read, photography, golf and fish. FAVORITE AUTHOR: Frank Garzone WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBORHOOD: I like (Sebastian Highlands) because I go over to the sports complex a lot and I scouted this area for about three years before I bought. I like that the community is compact and you don't have to go far for anything. I have super neighbors. 09/11/98 Page: A1 WEEKEND PICKS A calendar dinner dance, with the tables decorated with a theme for each month of the year, will be held by the ELDOEs of Sebastian Elks Lodge 2714 on Sept. 12. A cash bar cocktail hour will be 5-6 p.m. Dinner at 6 p.m. will consist of a baked half chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans almondine, cranberry sauce, salad, and dessert. Music will be provided by Sammie Angel. Donation is $8.50 per person for Elk members and guests. Tickets are available in the lounge. Chairman is Camille Loughlin. 09/11/98 Page: A1 WHAT DID HE SAY? " We do want to say this subject should be considered armed and dangerous." Detective Joe Dillon The Sebastian Police detective was refering to Richard Wayne Larsen of Staten Island, N.Y., whom they are seeking in the Sept. 1 beating of a co-owner of Suzanne's Bravarian Cafe on County Road 512. 09/11/98 Page: A1 Caption: Sebastian River High School Principal Dr. Fran Adams welcomes parents and teachers to the annual open house recently. SRHS LOSES ITS HEAD Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun Sebastian River High School Principal Dr. Fran Adams has been doing a lot of things for the last time lately. In the spring, she officiated her last graduation. At the end of August, she attended her last Kickoff Classic football game. At the beginning of September, she welcomed parents to her last open house. "As different things happen, I think about (it being the last time) more and more, the football games, the open house," Adams said. "I tell people I'm going to think about it tomorrow because it doesn't seem real to me." In October, the principal who opened the first new high school in Indian River County in decades will leave her post to become the Assistant to the Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. She leaves behind one of the most unique and innovative secondary schools in the country. After nearly 20 years as an educator, Adams took the job of principal with the idea of updating the traditional high school that hadn't seemed to change much since she was a student. "I'm a parent, I'm an educator," Adams said. "I've had experience with my own kids and have seen how they learn. I felt that high school, more than any school, except maybe for college, had stayed pretty much the same. Society has changed, the world has changed." Creating a brand-new high school meant visiting other schools and talking to educators from across the country to find out what works and what doesn't in a curriculum that will prepare students for a modern world. "I certainly had dreams and a strong vision of what I'd like (SRHS) to become," Adams said. "I visited a lot of places and met a lot of people and began to see things a lot clearer. You don't know for sure what's going to happen but I had real strong philosophies." What Sebastian River has become as it starts its fifth year is a model of modern curriculum that has attracted hundreds of visitors, earned dozens of state and national awards and garnered its faculty dozens of invitations to speak around the country. "I've always told our teachers that they're pioneers, that we're breaking new ground here," Adams said. "There's really no road map for what we're doing and I'm so proud that they've been willing to try new things. This is one of the few times as an educator you really have a chance to build something from the ground up." The school has grown from an initial student population of 900 freshman, sophomores and juniors to four full classes of more than 1,400 students. The faculty has more than doubled from 40 to 85, the athletic program boasts 37 teams for both boys and girls and the award-winning marching band now has about 150 members. Twenty-six International Baccalaureate students graduated in the spring and went on to some of the best colleges in the country. It wasn't easy making Sebastian River what it is today. From picking every piece of furniture for the large campus to working out the complicated, flexible class schedule, Adams had to meet challenges at almost every turn. "There were several times when I felt like it was an overwhelming task," Adams said. "But if you ever have a chance to do something that you think is right for all different students, you should take the opportunity to do that." But Adams credits the support of her staff, the community and the students of Sebastian River for making the new high school work. "It's because of the people that all the accomplishments have been made," Adams said. "The staff really took the challenge and the parents and kids stayed with us. The North County community has supported their high school in so many different ways. Business people have helped support the curriculum and given their time, money and expertise." One of her proudest moments came last spring when the first class who attended all four years at Sebastian River graduated. Among those students was her son, Luke, who is now a student at Shepherd College in West Virginia. "Luke was in the group that had been with us the full four years," Adams said. "The staff felt like they were really ours. That graduation was very emotional for us." In her new position with the district, Adams will continue to influence the innovative curriculum of Sebastian River, but on a broader scale. She hopes to establish a vision for the district's curriculum as she did at Sebastian River. "I would like us to establish a vision and a mission for the curriculum of the district," Adams said. "I believe strongly that you must have a vision of where you want to go so that everything you do should be driving you toward that vision." She believes the opportunity to work in curriculum and instruction with the district was just too big to pass up. "It was a hard decision to make but of all the positions, curriculum and instruction was one I thought I'd like to do," Adams said. "When a position like that opens, you have to look at it. A year ago I wouldn't have been able to move on. This year, I felt when the school opened that everything had fallen into place." Still, Adams said she knows she'll miss the excitement of working at the high school. "I have a tremendous amount of mixed feelings," Adams said. "High school is a wonderful place to be. We are fortunate in the North County to have wonderful students and I think it reflects the values of the community. It's really going to be hard to leave them. I hope they feel like I've supported them and know I'm proud of them." The staff will play a vital role in choosing a new principal and Adams also will be a part of the process. "The staff did a site analysis recently," Adams said. "They had an opportunity to put down the most important characteristics they'd like the new person coming in to have. I'm sure I'll be a part of the process." While the staff and students all wish Adams the best, they can't help but feel sadness as the captain who navigated them through uncharted waters moves on to a different port. "My heart is sad because she is a wonderful boss and a wonderful friend," Jamie Lunsford, head of the Environmental Science academy, said. "I'll really miss her hugs." 09/11/98 Page: A1 Caption: (Color) Photo by Mike Walton: Airmaster RC Club vice president Tom Nicoletti poses with two of his remote controlled airplanes in the garage of his home in Sebastian. FLIGHTS OF FANCY BOOSTS RC AVIATORS Byline: MIKE WALTON Sun Editor On any nice morning you will find them, searching the sky with their eyes to follow the colors they know so well. Although they have their feet firmly planted on the ground, remote-control airplane or glider pilots are up in the wild blue with their aircraft, twisting and turning, floating and swooshing with their brightly painted craft. "I loved planes," said Tom Nicoletti, vice president of the Airmaster RC Airplane Club, recently as he discussed how he got into the hobby after retiring several years ago as a charter fishing boat captain. Perhaps it was this love of airplanes that led him to join the Air Force during the Korean War, or talk a pilot into letting him fly at the controls of a B-52. He also took private pilots license training for awhile after leaving the service. It was a story about club member Jerry Green in the Press Journal about three years ago that rekindled his desire to fly again, and doing it as the pilot of a remote-control aircraft. Perhaps, Nicoletti suggested, this story will encourage someone to come out to the Indian River Fairgrounds and join the 10 or so pilots who meet there almost every morning. Among those at the field are retired pilots, World War II and Korea vets and others like Larry Larkin who are skilled at instructing rookies. For Nicoletti, the club has everything. Not only is there plenty of friendly camaraderie, Nicoletti said, but the variety of aircraft flown by club members nearly defies description. There are aircraft of every size, shape and vintage. Some have one engine, multiple engines or no motors at all. Some are electric powered and others use fuel. Some have only the wind to keep them up. The type of flying local pilots go in for is as varied as their aircraft, he said. Some like stunt flying and they do it all the time. Others like the challenge of competition and enjoy pattern flying, going through a range of aerobatic manuevers. Nicoletti owns a range of engine-powered RC aircraft, but he appears to be fond of power gliders also. Nicoletti can almost transport a listener with him when he talks about gliding. Once the plane is high in the sky, it is a matter of finding rising currents of air called thermals to keep the aircraft from floating to the ground. Caution has to be used, even in gliding, because the batteries that power the servos controlling the flaps and rudder of the plane, and thus the pilot's ability to control where the airplane goes, last only about an hour. "I had one disappear for three days," he said. The wind was too strong for him to get it back. "It just became a speck in the sky." For this reason, Nicoletti pastes his address inside of his airplanes and some found the glider and returned it to the airfield one day. Even though it was left on its own, the airplane was hardly damaged because gliders are made to float and that helped it make a safe landing, he said. Lost or damaged planes can make the hobby a tad expensive so the club has developed ways to help limit those possibilities, according to both Nicoletti and club President Charlie Smith. One of the requirements of club membership is joining the American Model Association, which provides members with insurance. Another provision of AMA membership is that instruction on flying must be free by qualified AMA members. Smith encouraged anyone who wants to take up the hobby to come out to the airfield, or the club's meetings, held at 7:30 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at the North Indian River County Library on County Road 512. Do so before you start spending any money, Smith said. You may want to buy that large and expensive airplane with all its sophisticated electronics, he said, but untrained pilots have an average 7 second first flight and end up with a pile of balsa wood splinters. "We can take someone from novice to solo, usually without a crash," Smith said. Soon, that rookie will be a confident and experienced pilot and can afford to spend what he wants on that plane of his dreams. Nicoletti has a large blue and yellow biplane hanging in his garage that he has yet, after three years, felt like taking up into the air. It is simply knowing his own limitations and wallet, he said. Since his first airplane, which he built himself, Nicoletti has bought his planes from club members who enjoy building the planes more than flying them. Costs of joining the Airmaster RC Club begin with an AMA membership, which will cost about $50, depending on your age. The club boasts members from age 9 through "well over 80," Smith said. Then the club has a $10 initiation fee and yearly dues of $55 to help maintain the airfield and other club amenities. The club itself was founded in 1989 when some Vero Beach pilots started flying at the fairgrounds. "They had been flying at the field as a loose group and the police kept chasing them out," Smith said. A group of the fliers got together and went to the Indian River County Commission and the commission agreed to give them a lease on the airfield. If you want more information on the club, you can call Smith at 778-3107 or Nicoletti at 388-5748. It is best not to try to reach them in the morning because they may not be home. They've gone flying. 09/11/98 Page: A3 STATE FIGURES SHOW HIGH MANATEE MORTALITY IN STORE FOR 1998 Preliminary figures from the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) indicate that 1998 will likely be another high year for manatee mortality. Save the Manatee Club (SMC) is asking boaters to help reduce manatee mortalities caused by watercraft collisions. "We already have more watercraft mortalities through June, 1998, as compared to this same time last year," said Patti Thompson, SMC staff biologist. "Twenty-nine watercraft mortalities at the mid-point of the year is an unacceptable figure. If we keep going at that rate, we could very well equal or surpass 60, which is the manatee watercraft mortality record set in 1996." Four counties in Florida have historically shown high levels of manatee mortality: Brevard, Lee, Collier, and Duval. Brevard County has the highest rate of manatee mortality in the state. Research from the Florida Marine Research Institute shows that from 1974 through 1997, there were 640 manatee mortalities in Brevard County; 150 of those mortalities were caused by watercraft collisions. Lee County follows with 546 total manatee deaths, 95 of which were caused by watercraft collisions. "The majority of Brevard County Commissioners don't support adequate manatee protection in the county, plus the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has not done enough to push the county toward improving protection in Brevard waters," said Thompson. "Meanwhile, Brevard County consistently has the highest manatee watercraft mortality in the state of Florida, year after year. The only county that compares with Brevard is Lee County. Lee County started working on boat speed zones in 1990, but FDEP still has not adopted boat speed zones eight years later, even though watercraft mortality remains high." Brevard and Lee County are two of 13 "key" manatee counties which have been directed by Florida's governor and cabinet to implement measures for reducing manatee injury and death. Most of the human-related manatee mortality has occurred in these counties. Their waterways have been documented as having high manatee use because of manatee habitat features such as sea grasses and fresh water sources. The first task of these 13 county governments, working with the state, is to develop site-specific boat speed zones for manatee protection. Their second task is to develop a comprehensive manatee protection plan (MPP), which includes a manatee education and awareness program, boat ramp and marina location planning, and provisions for law enforcement and habitat protection. Manatee mortality from watercraft collisions is also high in the other counties of Florida. They include: Broward, Charlotte, Dade, Hillsborough, Martin, Palm Beach, and Volusia. In particular, five manatee mortalities from watercraft collisions have already occurred this year in Volusia County through the end of June. This is a record number of watercraft mortalities for one year for Volusia County. Many free resources are available for boaters to help reduce manatee injury and death: Manatee Protection Zone Informational Brochures: Free brochures on manatee protection zones in east coast counties (Duval, Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward and Dade) are available from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) by calling (561) 627-3386. For the publication, "Boat Speed Zones In Sarasota County," contact the Sarasota County Natural Resources Department, Resource Management Division at (941) 378-6142. Manatee Protection Tips for Boaters, Swimmers and Divers: A free packet is available which includes manatee protection tips and boating safety information. Contact Save the Manatee Club at 500 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 3275111-800-432-JOIN (5646) or e-mail SMC at: education@savethemanatee.org. Give your name, address, and area where you will be boating. 1-800-DIAL-FMP, *FMP, or Marine Band Channel 16: It's Like 911 For Manatees! When you're out on the waterways, you can help save an injured manatee by calling the Florida Marine Patrol at 1-800-DIAL- FMP (342-5367), *FMP on your cellular phone, or use Marine Band Channel 16. For more information on manatees, or the Adopt-A-Manatee program, contact Save the Manatee Club at 500 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751, call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646), or visit its web site on the Internet at: www.objectlinks.com/manatee. 09/11/98 Page: A3 JEWISH HOLIDAYS SET AT VERO SYNAGOGUE Byline: BRIEF Congregation B'nai Emet, Vero's Conservative synagogue, will be celebrating its first Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur! These holidays - the Jewish New Year and Day of Atonement, respectively, are among the most important days in the Jewish year. Rabbi Rob Alpert will be leading the Rosh Hashana services on Sept. 20, 21 and 22, and Yom Kippur services on Sept. 29 and 30, 1998. Services will be held at the Courthouse Executive Center, 14th Avenue and 21st Street, Vero Beach. Free baby-sitting and transportation are available upon request. For further information, or to purchase High Holiday tickets, please call 234-0746. 09/11/98 Page: B8 MID-ATLANTIC CLUB MEETING SLATED Byline: BRIEF The Mid-Atlantic Club of Barefoot Bay will hold its first meeting of the season on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 5:45 p.m. in Building A. The Kitchen Committee will serve a meat loaf dinner following the meeting. Tickets for dinner are available by calling either 664-9305 or 664-2679 no later than Monday, Sept. 14. 09/11/98 Page: A6 EPISCOPAL WOMEN MEETING SEPT. 19 Byline: BRIEF The Episcopal Church Women's monthly meeting will be held on Sept. 19, at St. Elizabeth's, 901 Clearmont St., Sebastian. Father Bob Lieffort will celebrate the Holy Eucharist at 10 a.m. and installation of new officers and executive board members. Our guest speaker, Gigi Wheeler, whose parents were missionaries as well, was born in the Philippines and will share her experiences with us. This program is open to everyone, ladies and gentlemen, so please bring along a friend. Our hostesses, Florence Holzman, Anne Grace and Elsie Proulx ask that you bring a salad to share. 09/11/98 Page: A10 ITALIAN CLUB SCHEDULES DINNERS Byline: BRIEF The Italian American Club of Sebastian, 250 Fellsmere Road, announces the reopening of its air conditioned dinning room for Friday night fish & pasta dining, 5 to 7:30 p.m. We invite all our regular customers and the public to enjoy our good food and air conditioning. The "Cheap Date" dinner is on Saturday, Sept. 12, with music by Omas & Lee. Open to the public, veal cutlet parmigiana with a side of spaghetti. Cost $6.50. Call Ann Herbert, 388-0850. A pool league party on Tuesdays starting at 6 p.m., entries limited. Food available, Sept. 19, is Jambalaya night. Music by Randy. Starts 6 p.m., cost. $4.50 Sept. 26, will be a Chinese night. Food will include sweet and sour pork, fried rice and egg drop soup. Starts 6 p.m. at a cost of $6. A pancake breakfast and car wash for the building fund is scheduled on Sunday, Sept. 27 at the club from 8 a.m. to noon, Have your car washed while you eat! 09/11/98 Page: A12 DEBORAHS ANALYZE WRITING SAMPLES Byline: BRIEF The Barefoot Bay Chapter of the Deborah Heart Foundation will hold its next meeting on Sept. 25, 1998, at 10 a.m. in the D/E building. Connie Stinchfield will address the group on handwriting analysis. All residents and their guests are most welcome. END Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun September 18, 1998 c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Copy Editor: Michael Kaiser Advertising Manager: Debbi Vickers (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. 09/18/98 Page: A12 CLUB ITALIA ARRANGES MEETING AND VIDEO Byline: BRIEF After a summer break, Club Italia will meet Monday at 7 p.m. Entertainment will be a video: "Rome, Naples and Amalfi Coast." Refreshments will be served. Fall social affairs include a barbecue and dinner dance in November. All meetings and activities are held the second Monday of each month at the Sebastian Senior Center, 815 Davis St. This is a social club. New members are welcome. Italian descent is not a requirement. For further information, call 589-0511. 09/18/98 Page: A12 FITNESS PROGRAM OFFERED IN SEBASTIAN AREA Byline: BRIEF The Vero Beach-Indian River County Recreation Department invites all residents of the Sebastian River Area to get fit by joining aerobics classes at the Sebastian Community Center, 1805 N. Central Ave. AM Aerobic Workout: A full rhythmic warm-up precedes a low- to moderate-impact, high-intensity aerobic session followed by strengthening segments and a complete cool-down. The class meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9-10 a.m. and is taught by certified fitness instructor Kathy Falzone. Fee: $2 per class. PM Aerobic Workout: This co-ed class in held 7-8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday and is taught by certified instructor Terri Pangburn. Fee: $2 per class. Senior Aerobic: This slower paced coed aerobic workout is specifically designed for the active, mature exerciser and is taught by Mrs. Falzone. It works on cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and muscle toning. The class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Fee: $1 per class. All classes are on-going except for election days and holidays. To register, show up prepared to work out. Adequate fitness shoes, towel and water bottle are required. One- to two-pound hand weights are optional. For further information, contact Mrs. Falzone at 589-8444. 09/18/98 Page: A12 LAUREATE IOTA BEGINS SEASON WITH BOAT TOUR Byline: BRIEF Laureate Iota of Beta Sigma Phi hosted Beginning Day on Aug. 30 with a cruise down the Sebastian River on the Indian River Queen. The three-hour scenic tour was enjoyed by Laureate Iota, Preceptor Alpha Eta and Xi Alpha Eta and their guests. Refreshments were served by Alice Kleine, Joan Lewis and Trudy Maurer of Laureate Iota. Following the trip, dinner took place at Captain Hiram's. Those attending were Betty Bunda, Ruth McNally, Jane Burkett, Cora Slaughter, Pat Farace, Margot Copeland and Elaine Wolford of Xi Alpha Eta and Lynda and Ed Ramirez, Lela and Don Poust, Linda and Bill Poffenberger and Joyce and Paul Kindel of Preceptor Alpha Eta. Others attending from Laureate Iota were Jacque Keeler and guests Joan and Bruce Musheno of Pennsylvania, Diane Hersh, Charlotte Wilson, Joan Ellis, Dee Traynor, Fran and Jim McCoy and Marilyn Pappas. Guests were Bill Lewis, Arnold Kleine, Ruth Folkes, Betty Wendt and Marcia and Rich Wilfors and Mason.The first regular meeting of Laureate Iota was held Tuesday at the home of Betty Williams. Helen Burrell co-hosted the evening event. "From Dust Into Stardust" Friendship Night will be held Sept. 28 at Our Savior Lutheran Church at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $2 per person. Make reservations by Sept. 23 to Pauline Wilson, 562-4127. 09/18/98 Page: A9 DUGAN ENDORSED BY REALTORS Byline: BRIEF The Space Coast Association of Realtors Inc. announced recently that they have endorsed David Dugan, and recommend him for election as circuit judge for the 18th Judicial Circuit, Group 6. Dugan was previously endorsed by the Melbourne Area Association of Realtors and by the Labor Council of the AFL-CIO. He is in a runoff election set for November. 09/18/98 Page: A9 DEMOCRATIC CLUB PLANS MEETING Byline: BRIEF The Barefoot Bay Democratic Club will hold a candidate support planning meeting with its members and invited Democratic candidates on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Bldgs. D and E (Golf course). The meeting agenda will review and finalize the various candidates' campaign support that the club and its members will participate with their recommendations. For information, call Lew Orlow 561-664-2372 09/18/98 Page: A7 FAMILY FUN FAIR SET AT LUTHERAN CHURCH Byline: BRIEF The early education committee at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Sebastian will hold its first annual Family Fun Fair on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will include a game midway featuring: the dig, ring toss, penny pitch, fish pond, quarterback toss, dart balloons and the dunk tank, including prizes. Rides will include a moon-walk and a giant slide. And there will be a great make-a-craft table, as well as a donut-eating contest, a cake walk and great food. An auction will include items such as an entire set of McDonalds 1996 "Ty" Teenie Beanie Babies, a vintage warbird airplane ride, a weekend get-a-way package for two at the Indian River Plantation in Stuart, and much more. Free exhibitions will be given by Pink Pelican Florist, Travel Gallery and Creative Memories. Proceeds from the event are earmarked to help Christ the King Lutheran's on-going effort to create a new preschool for the North Indian River County community. Some of these funds will also be used to help support the newly approved after-school program. The Family Fun Fair will be held on the church grounds at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1301 Fellsmere Road (County Road 512) in Sebastian. For more information, to lend your financial support, or to donate a prize for the auction, please call 589-7117. 09/18/98 Page: A7 MAKE A WISH NEEDS VOLUNTEERS IN AREA Byline: BRIEF Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central Florida will hold a regional volunteer training session in Melbourne Sept. 26 from 12:30 until 4:30 p.m. Specifically, the Foundation is looking for volunteers to attend from Brevard, Osceola and Indian River counties. Applications are currently being taken for this session which is designed to teach prospective volunteers how to assist the Foundation in fulfilling children's wishes and to plan fund raising, special events and public speaking opportunities. Applications can be requested by calling Make-A-Wish at (407) 246-1974. The site for the training session will be announced at a later date. "Our chapter operates in 15 counties in the Central Florida area," said Robert J. Kinney, executive director. "As the number of wishes increases, we need additional people to help us grant these wishes more effectively and efficiently. Make-A-Wish is an organization which is powered by its volunteers. Staff can provide resources and direction, however, it is the volunteers who are the people out there working with the children, staffing the special events, helping in the office and putting together the fund-raisers." The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a non-profit organization which fulfills wishes for children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 who have diagnosed life-threatening illnesses. Since starting operation of the local chapter in December of 1994, the chapter has fulfilled wishes for more than 200 children. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, based in Phoenix, has 94 chapters in the U.S. and nearly 20 international affiliates. Since the first wish was fulfilled in Arizona in 1980, more than 50,000 wishes have been granted. For more information about Make-A-Wish or volunteer opportunities, call the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central Florida at 407-246-1974 or 1-888-874-WISH (9474). 09/18/98 Page: A7 NEW PHONEBOOKS SLATED FOR DELIVERY Byline: BRIEF New Indian River County phone books will be delivered to residents of Barefoot Bay, Grant and Micco during the month of October. Brevard County residents in these areas can recycle their old phone books by taking them to the outdoor recycling container which will be located in the southwest comer of the parking lot at the South Mainland Library, 7921 Ron Beatty Blvd., Barefoot Bay, from Oct. 1-31. Phone books will not be accepted in residents' curbside recycling bins. To utilize the outdoor recycling drop-off location, look for a large dumpster-style red and green container with bright yellow "Recycle Old Phone Books Here" recycling stickers. Please do not leave your phone books inside the library or place them in the book drop. The outdoor drop-off container in the southwest corner of the library parking lot is being provided by Southeast Recycling for your convenience and will be accessible 24 hours a day. For more information, contact the Brevard County Recycling Hotline at 952-4700 ext. 2043. 09/18/98 Page: A7 BENEFIT SCHEDULED FOR ART REYNOLDS Byline: BRIEF Sebastian Inlet Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary No. 4067 will be sponsoring a benefit for Art Reynolds, who needs a liver transplant, to be held at Sebastian Square (Bealls Outlet Plaza) under the oaks, south end of the building, on Sept. 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. Music, food (pork loin, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, dessert), raffles and auction for a $5 per plate donation. Everyone is welcome. 09/18/98 Page: A7 CPR FOR THE PRO OFFERED AT RED CROSS Byline: BRIEF EMT students and RNs. The American Red Cross of Indian River County Chapter is offering a course for the professional rescuer beginning on Sept. 26, 1998 at the Chapter House from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This course includes CPR for adults, children, and infants plus two-man CPR and use of a bag mask; learning the role in EMS systems; recognizing and response to providing emergency care and learning risk factors. There are no prerequisites required, but a written test (80 percent) and all skills most be passed in order to be certified. The CPR/PR book, a pocket mask and use of materials are included in the $35 fee. Pre-registration is required and taken at the Chapter House, located at 2506 17th Ave., Vero Beach, FL 32960. For more information, call the Red Cross at (561)562-2549. 09/18/98 Page: A7 CLINTON BROWN COMPLETES TRAINING Byline: BRIEF Navy Fireman Clinton Brown, son of Daniel H. and Kathy A. Brown of Sebastian, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill. During the eight-week program,, Brown completed a variety of training which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, fire fighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis is also placed on physical fitness. Brown and other recruits also received instruction on the Navy's core values - honor, courage and commitment - and how to apply them in their military performance and personal conduct. Brown joins 55,000 men and women who will enter the Navy this year from all over the country. Men and women train together from their first day in the Navy just as they do aboard ships and at shore commands around the world. To reinforce the team concept, Brown and other recruits also were trained in preventing sexual harassment and ensuring equal opportunity. Even as the naval service gets smaller over the next few years, highly motivated young people like Brown are still finding an opportunity to improve their knowledge and education as they become part of the Most highly technical naval force in history. This year alone the Navy will have more than 57,000 job openings and opportunities which include guaranteed training. He is a 1995 graduate of Vero Beach Senior High School. 09/18/98 Page: A7 ADULT PROGRAMS AND EVENTS SCHEDULED Byline: BRIEF Library catalog and Internet training classes continue in October at the South Mainland Library in Micco. Please contact the reference desk to sign up for class times. Oct. 13, 9-11 a.m. Library Advisory Board meets. Oct. 16, 9-11 a.m. Commissioner Higgs will meet with constituents. Film Series: See the Titanic and visit Europe's legendary castles through films and videos shown each Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in the library meeting room. Oct. 1, 1:30 p.m. Titanic: the Nightmare and the Dream Oct. 8, 1:30 p.m. Titanic: A Question of Murder Oct. 15, 1:30 p.m. Great Castles of Britain Oct. 22, 1:30 p.m. Great Castles of Germany, Romania Oct. 29, 1:30 p.m. Great Castles of France, Spain Children's Activities Toddlertime is for children 2-3 years and is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Parents/caregivers join the group's activities, which include stories, songs, and fingerplays. During the month, the children will bear stories and songs of Halloween. Storytime for children 3-6 years is held every Monday at 10:30 a.m. During this month, children will hear stories and songs of ghosts and goblins and Halloween fun. Parents/caregivers need not attend. 09/18/98 Page: A7 AWARDS BANQUET SET FOR AREA REALTORS Byline: BRIEF The Realtors Association of Indian River County will hold its annual installation and awards banquet at Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club on Saturday, Sept. 26, beginning with cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. The program will consist of the installation of the 1999 board of directors, and the presentation of the Realtor, Rookie and Affiliate of the Year awards. Following the formal ceremonies, there will be dancing to the music of Frankie Holiday. 09/18/98 Page: A6 BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES SLATES SPEAKER Byline: BRIEF "Winter Vegetable Gardening" - Avid gardener Jim Christy will share his simple methods of successful gardening Friday, Sept. 18, learned through trial and error. Christy will also talk about important composting tips and varieties of vegetables best suited for winter growing. Brown Bag Lunch is a weekly series of speakers hosted by the Marine Resources Council at Fisherman's Landing Park on U.S. 1 in Grant every Friday at noon. The public is invited to bring lunch and enjoy a peaceful hour beside the lagoon as you learn more about the community and environment. Lunches are informal and interactive, so bring your questions too! Nobody ever leaves a Brown Bag Lunch without learning something new. For more information, contact Cheryl Bruns at MRC, (407) 504-4500, fax, (407) 504-4488. 09/18/98 Page: A6 ART CLUB PLANS PROGRAM FOR OCT. 6 Byline: BRIEF A program titled "Protecting your Assets" will be presented at the Tuesday, Oct. 6, meeting of the Sebastian River Art Club by John Murphy, a Melbourne attorney specializing in Elder-Care legal matters. The event is open to the public and will take place at 1 p.m. at the Roseland Methodist Church on Roseland Road. An outdoor painting day is scheduled on Sept. 22 at 11 a.m. at Hobart Park. Art Club member Grace Wisniewski is volunteering at the new North County Charter School on Fellsmere Road in Fellsmere and says more volunteers are needed to assist the children with reading. Grades are two, three, and four. 09/18/98 Page: A6 CRACKERFEST SLATED AT MELBOURNE PARK Byline: BRIEF Erna Nixon Park will be holding Crackerfest on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is $1 per person; parking is at Melbourne Square Mall, at the northwest side of JCPenney - a free bus shuttle will be running regularly to the park entrance. Crackerfest is an annual community event that focuses on traditional crafts, music and Florida natural history and wildlife, and there's something for everyone: crafters demonstrating their techniques, environmental groups, wildlife exhibits, native plant displays and sales, face-painting for the kids, refreshments- and of course Erna Nixon Park itself, with the Nature Room and three-quarter mile boardwalk through the pine flatwoods, wetlands, and towering oaks in the hammock. For any questions or additional information, call the park any day between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 952-4525. 09/18/98 Page: B10 ART CLUB MEMBERS EXHIBIT THEIR WORK Byline: BRIEF The Sebastian River Art Club announces the following schedule of members exhibits through Oct. 13. Sebastian Chamber of Commerce, 1302 U.S. Hwy. 1, Sebastian, Artist: TBA Sebastian City Hall, 1225 Main St., Sebastian, Artist: Alice Russell The North County Library, 1001 CR. 512, Sebastian, Artist: Barbara Garcia The Press Journal Office, 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, Artist: TBA Florida Today, 11628 U.S. Hwy. 1, Sebastian, Artist: Bea Benhard Sebastian Realty, 1329 U.S. Hwy. 1, Sebastian, Artist: Bea Benhard 09/18/98 Page: B10 NEW BENEFITS TRANSFER PROCLAIMED A SUCCESS Byline: BRIEF Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) for food stamps and cash assistance has been in effect in District 15 since July 1 and the transition was extremely smooth due to the advance preparation of the Economic Self Sufficiency staff in District 15, according to district officials. EBT replaces food stamps and welfare checks with an electronic debit card, like the ones used at automatic teller machines and point-of-sales terminals in area stores. Kara Rheame, District 15 Economic Services program supervisor, stated that the new system is a win-win situation that will: Save taxpayers money. Reduce the stigma associated with food stamps. Reduce fraud and increase security for assistance recipients. Improve efficiency for merchants by eliminating the handling of paper food stamps. "In addition, this electronic banking will get our clients more into the mainstream. This is a dramatic change for a segment of society that is more familiar with cash. A lot of our clients have never had a bank account," Rheaume said. The district started preparing for this cut-over almost a year ago with continuous training of employees. Since May, as clients came into service centers to pick up benefits, they attended mini training sessions using a mock point-of-sale device. In addition, clients received brochures and instructions that defined key phrases of electronic banking and advising them to shop around for ATM services to avoid high surcharges. Letters informing business, banks and group homes were mailed and staff gave numerous speeches to local organizations and assisted living facilities to make sure that all persons affected by the change would be aware of the cut-over. Two days before the EBT cut-over, 13 teams of employees went to 108 point-of-sale smaller establishments and 78 larger commercial stores throughout the district to test equipment and answer questions. On July 1, 10 teams covered the district, stopping at ATM machines, smaller stores and commercial retailers to ensure the smooth transition. "We had fantastic cooperation from the retailers in the district. Everyone was extremely cooperative and receptive to the Children and Family teams as they fanned into the community to provide technical help to retailers and clients. It has been an exceedingly positive experience as with very little negative feedback," Rheaume said. The toll-free EBT Helpline is: 1-888-FLOEBT1 (1-888-356-3281). 09/18/98 Page: B10 OBITUARIES Everett Uppwall Everett "Ev" Uppwall, 74, of Barefoot Bay, died Sept. 5, 1998, at his residence after a prolonged illness. He was born Oct. 27, 1923, in Mahwah, N.J., and moved to Barefoot Bay in 1990 from his birthplace. Mr. Uppwall was an advertising manager for Becton Dickson & Co. in Rutherford, N.J., and is a member of its Alumni Association in both New Jersey and Florida. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II. He was a volunteer for Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, and a member of the Barefoot Bay Home Owners Association. Surviving are his wife of 37 years, Alice; a son, Mark Uppwall, of Laurel, Md.; a brother, Roy Uppwall, of Parkersbury, W.Va.; and a sister, Terri Dobbs, of Waldwich, N.J. A memorial service was Friday, Sept. 11, at Roseland United Methodist Church, Roseland, with the Rev. Carl Bray officiating. Entombment was at Fountainhead Memorial Park, Palm Bay. Donations may be made to Holmes Regional Hospice, 1900 Dairy Road, West Melbourne, Fla., 32904, in Mr. Uppwall's memory. Arrangements are by Fountainhead Funeral Home, Palm Bay. Edward Mulligan Edward J. Mulligan, 86, of Barefoot Bay, died Sept. 7, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland, after a brief illness. He was born Oct. 31, 1911, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Barefoot Bay in 1979 from Loudenville, N.Y. Surviving are two sons, Dennis Mulligan, of Massachusetts, and Dom Mulligan, of Long Island, N.Y.; one brother, Ray Mulligan, of Brooklyn; and three grandchildren. Friends may call 6-8 p.m. today at. The funeral was Friday, Sept. 11, at Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home, Palm Bay, with the Rev. Patrick O'Carroll officiating. Interment followed at Fountainhead Memorial Park, Palm Bay. Lois Perez Lois Perez, 80, of Fellsmere, died Sept. 6, 1998, at San Juan, Puerto Rico, after a prolonged illness. She was born May 19, 1918, in Savage, Md., and moved to Fellsmere in 1973 from Ensenada, Puerto Rico. Mrs. Perez was a homemaker and a member of the Fellsmere Library Association. Surviving are one daughter, Patricia Perez, of San Juan; one son, Denis Perez, of Atlanta, Ga.; one sister, Hilda Herman, of Springfield, Va.; one brother, Delmer Collison, of Dunedin; and one grandchild. A graveside service was Saturday, Sept. 12, at Fountainhead Memorial Park, Palm Bay. The family suggests donations be sent to the American Heart Association, 2800 Aurora Road, Suite No. 1, Melbourne, Fla. 32935, in Mrs. Perez's memory. Edward Mulligan Edward J. Mulligan, 86, of Barefoot Bay, died Sept. 7, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland, after a brief illness. He was born Oct. 31, 1911, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Barefoot Bay in 1979 from Loudenville, N.Y. Surviving are two sons, Dennis Mulligan, of Massachusetts, and Dom Mulligan, of Long Island, N.Y.; one brother, Ray Mulligan, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and three grandchildren. The funeral service was Friday, Sept. 11. Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home, Palm Bay, was in charge of arrangements. John Thompson John W. Thompson, 86, of Sebastian, died Sept. 11, 1998, at Indian River Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. He was born Oct. 23, 1911, in Pulaski County, Va., and moved to Sebastian 26 years ago from Dublin, Va. Mr. Thompson retired as a dining supervisor at Virginia Tech University. He served as a Seabee in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Surviving are one son, Bill Thompson, of Dublin; two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. At the family's request there will be no services. Donations may be made to the charity of one's choice in Mr. Thompson's memory. Arrangements are under the direction of Lowther Cremation Service, Vero Beach. Priscilla Condit Priscilla S. Condit, 95, of Vero Beach, died Aug. 21, 1998, at Indian River Memorial Hospital after a prolonged illness. She was born Aug. 15, 1903, in Winchendon, N.H., and moved to Vero Beach in 1988 from Crescent City. Mrs. Condit attended Abbott Academy, now part of the Phillips Andover Academy in Andover, Mass., and the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. Mrs. Condit was a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church, Vero Beach. Surviving are a son, Robert D.S. Condit, of Vero Beach; a daughter, Clare C. Gwyn, of Sebastian; a foster child, John E. Pearson, of Seffner; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. A memorial service, with inurnment, will be Oct. 10 at the Mountain Grove Memorial Church, Huletts Landing, N.Y. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Mountain Grove Memorial Church, Huletts Landing, N.Y. 12841, in Mrs. Condit's memory. Arrangements are under the direction of Lowther Cremation Service Inc., Vero Beach. John Connors John L. Connors, 76, of Sebastian, died Sept. 13, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center after a prolonged illness. He was born April 21, 1922, in West Point, N.Y., and moved to Sebastian in 1984 from Boynton Beach. Mr. Connors was a civil service employee and worked for the United States government for 37 years. He was a charter member of the Sebastian Elks Lodge No. 2714 and was voted Elk of the Year in 1986. He also was a member of the Sebastian Moose Lodge No. 1767, Sebastian. Surviving are his wife of 52 years, Lorraine; one brother, William Connors, of New Windsor, N.Y.; and one sister, Roseanne Connors, of Morristown, N.J. A prayer service was Tuesday, Sept. 15, at Strunk Funeral Home in Sebastian, followed by an Elk's Service conducted by Lodge No. 2714. A memorial Mass was Wednesday, Sept. 16, at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Sebastian. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations be made to Florida Elks Childrens Hospital, P.O. Box 49, Umatilla, Fla. 32784, or to the St. Sebastian Building Fund, P.O. Box 781212, Sebastian, Fla. 32978-1212, in memory of Mr. Connors. 09/18/98 Page: B10 COASTAL CLEAN-UP SLATED FOR SATURDAY EFFORT Byline: BRIEF Saturday is the date for the Florida Coastal Clean-up. Indian River County residents are urged to volunteer for this annual cleanup effort. The focus this year is not only on the coastal and beach areas, but on a cleanup of the entire county. Pelican Island Audubon Society (PIAS) is coordinating the clean-up effort in Indian River County. All trash bags, pencils and data cards will be provided. All data collected will be forwarded to the Center for Marine Conservation, statewide coordinators of the Florida Coastal Cleanup. Volunteers are urged to bring gloves, wear sensible shoes, and bring sunscreen and insect repellent. Site coordinators will be at South Beach, Jaycee Beach, Wabasso Beach and South Sebastian Inlet to distribute trash bags and other supplies to volunteers at those sites. With the cooperation of Keep Indian River Beautiful (KIRB), Adopt-a-Shore, Adopt-a- Highway, Adopt-a-Roadway, Adopt-a-Spoil Island and Adopt-a-Neighborhood groups are urged to schedule a cleanup on or about Saturday. Divers who wish to participate in an underwater cleanup should contact George Maher at 770-5881. Residents who wish to volunteer or who need further information should contact the PIAS office at 567-3520. 09/18/98 Page: A2 Caption: Little Hollywood's Helen Boyd shows off her menacing batting poise recently. BOYD PITCHES TEAM IDEA Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun A Moment In The Sun If you take time out and get yourself over to the Barber Street Sports Complex any Monday or Wednesday morning you can see Helen Boyd playing softball with a bunch of SOB's. The sight of a female, with earrings swishing and glistening in the early sun of the day, sending up high-lobbed pitches to men eagerly waiting to bash them to all parts of the playing field, can make you do a double take - or at least make you blink your eyes. Helen Boyd gets to play with the Sebastian Old Boys group of over-60 softball players twice a week. When you get to see her play, the only double takes are for the exceptional plays she performs on the field. But the shy and modest resident of Little Hollywood has a background in outstanding action on the softball diamond. Getting her to share her exploits is not easy. You see Helen Boyd was an infielder on the Golden Girls team from Virginia, a group who won the Senior Women's National Softball World Series in 1947 in Irving Texas. This feat was accomplished by winning tournaments all that year beginning with the qualifying playoffs in Penn Hills, Pa. From there it was tourney wins throughout the country that took them to the finals in Texas. Helen was born and raised in Takoma Park, Md., just blocks away from Washington, D.C., and last year came to the Sebastian area with her husband Ellsworth. She settled here "because we liked the small town look and my aunt Sue Bayley lives in Whispering Palms." Coming to a small area has it's drawbacks for the athletic Boyd. She has brought a passion for senior women's softball here and the lack of such a program in this area has rekindled her competitive spirits to a point where she has been making a list of women in the area who would be interested in forming a team or even a league. She says that "right now you have to go all the way west to Largo to be able to participate in senior women softball." Traveling distances did not hamper Helen last year when she had to go 35 miles each way to practice with the Golden Girls team. The practice has paid off though because in October of 1999, the Golden Girls will be in the National Senior Olympics to be held in October. There will be 19 teams competing for the championship. Helen, who is an inductee in the softball hall of fame in Washington, began playing senior women's softball in 1989. She says that playing two days a week with the SOB's allows her to stay in shape for the upcoming tests in Orlando. She also plays plenty of volleyball each week at the Sebastian Middle School with a coed group of players over the age of 35. "That's another sport that I would like to see take hold in this area," says Helen. "It's a sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages." She is also making another list of potential volleyball players in the area. So far the count of players who take advantage of the play at the Middle School, varies from 15-25 people. Helen and her husband also enjoy their 24-foot Grady White boat that they use about four or five times a month for both pleasure and functions for the Coast Guard Auxiliary, of which they are members. Monthly patrols for the Coast Guard take them out in the Indian River and the ocean. On occasion the couple tries their luck at the sport of fishing but catching fish has been much more difficult for Helen than snagging a hot ground ball at second base or making sensational over the shoulder catches racing from her shortstop position into short left field. When it comes to Helen Boyd's passion about seeing that senior women's softball and volleyball come to this area in a full blown program, don't let her shyness fool you. It could happen with the same determination that she plays the sports. Birth date: Sept. 17, 1936 Birthplace: Washington, D.C. Education: Montgomery Blair H.S. Silver Spring, Md., Montgomery College Family: Husband, Ellsworth, Children, Linda 42, Phyliss, 38, Cindy, 37, Jim, 28. The best part of my retirement: Is making new friends. What I like least about my retirement: Being away from family and friends. The most recent movie I saw: The Horse Whisperer The book I'd recommend everyone read: The Bible The person I would like to meet is: Jesus Christ My favorite food is: Chinese If I were going on a trip to the moon I would take along: my husband When I was growing up, I always wanted to be: a professional ballplayer The person I admire the most is: my husband My proudest moment was: making the softball Hall of Fame in Washington. My favorite sports team is: The Baltimore Orioles On my last vacation, I visited: What's a vacation? The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: read my Bible The type of music I enjoy the best is: Christian music If I could do something over again, I'd: have gotten a degree in nursing People who know me the best know: that I love people The most exciting time of my life was: being on the softball team Golden Girls from Virginia who won the Senior World Series. 09/18/98 Page: A2 Caption: Sebastian residents Becky and George Zaleuke recently opened Windows and Walls, Etc. on Fellsmere Road. ZALEUKES WANT TO SHAREA WINDOW ON THE WORLD Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun Business Profile It just seemed natural for George and Becky Zaleuke to open Windows and Walls, Etc. The former co-owner of the Vero Beacher window treatment company, Zaleuke ran his own business for 18 years. And with his father, Don Zaleuke, has been installing window treatments almost all his life. "I grew up doing it, my dad did it for 40 years," Zaleuke said. "He sent me on my first drapery install when I was 16." Mrs. Zaleuke, on the other hand, has turned her love of art and design into a full-time pursuit. She currently is pursuing a degree in interior design at Indian River Community College and is the chairperson of the annual Showcase Sale. With business skills gained during her previous career as a paralegal, Mrs. Zaleuke can now combine her business sense with her creativity. "My father always told me not to be a starving artist," Mrs. Zaleuke said with a smile. So when customers walk into the pleasantly-decorated store on Fellsmere Road in Sebastian, they can get full service from the expert co-owners themselves. Mrs. Zaleuke can help a client with everything from choosing colors to complement a room's decor to picking textures and products to create a personal style. "Customers are getting interior design service with the interior design price, basically," Zaleuke said. Zaleuke can recommend the best hardware to fit a person's lifestyle and budget and suggest the right product to fit the client's needs. "He gets into the mechanics because he's been in it for so long," Mrs. Zaleuke said. "When clients start talking color or design then I come in. Then we can come together." The Zaleukes will spend whatever time is needed with a customer so they get exactly what they want, at the right price. Zaleuke said it's important for him to know what a customer wants out of his window treatments; whether things like privacy, light blocking or style is most important. "The first thing we ask them is what are they trying to achieve with their window treatments, finding out what their basic needs are," Mrs. Zaleuke said. What allows Windows and Walls, Etc. to give its customers exactly what they want is most of the products are made by the owners on the premises. Clients can get custom-made window treatments, allowing for more variety in color, style and texture, and not have to rely on picking out a ready-made style from a book. No middle-man means Windows and Walls, Etc. can keep prices low and deliver the product faster. "We do put out a good product," Zaleuke said. "We manufacture all our blinds here." Zaleuke installs all the treatments himself and often can do it within days of when the order is made. Recently, Zaleuke said, a woman came in wanting new blinds. He followed her to her nearby home and measured the windows himself so she could get her new blinds as quickly as possible. Because of his years of experience, Zaleuke knows which suppliers will provide him with the best products, so clients will get the highest-quality window treatments that will last and need little or no adjustment. "We have a good advantage I think in that being in the business for so long and doing it the way we've done it is that I know the contacts," Zaleuke said. "I know where to go." One of the annoying things about vertical blinds, Zaleuke said, is when one panel shifts out of position, letting light through. He uses clutch chains so that a simple flick of the wrist will right the stray panel, so the owner doesn't have to call someone out to fix it. "The blind repairs itself," Zaleuke said. "It's not that I don't want to see my customers again but they don't wait around for me to come out and repair something." The Zaleukes chose to open their store in Sebastian because Sebastian is their home. Both have children in the local schools and Zaleuke is a tireless volunteer coach with the Sebastian Panthers and Sebastian River High School football teams. Mrs. Zaleuke enjoys the fact that from the store, she can watch her children cross the street from Sebastian Elementary School to the shop, where they play and do homework until it's time to go home. "We're just local folks trying to raise out family here like everybody else," Zaleuke said. "We're just trying to give a fair price on a great product." Windows and Walls, Etc. is located at 457 Fellsmere Road in Sebastian. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Windows and Walls, Etc. can be reached at 581-7272. 09/18/98 Page: A11 WEEK IN REVIEW Hodges' sentence: Life, plus 13 years Rose Marie Ross remembers her mother had no spite or malice in her heart. And Ann Marie Fischer certainly never would have wanted revenge against the man who was convicted Tuesday of killing her, Ms. Ross said. So Ms. Ross and other members of the Fischer family, who were present in the Indian River County courtroom for the first time Tuesday, asked prosecutors not to seek the death penalty in a plea deal for 19-year-old Choya Hodges. Hodges was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder in the May 1997 death of Mrs. Fischer. Circuit Judge Robert A. Hawley also sentenced the former weightlifter for Sebastian River High School to 13 years, four months and 24 days for third-degree robbery, the maximum possible sentence. Hawley had no discretion in sentencing Hodges for murder, since he had agreed to plead no contest to the charge in July. However, the judge could sentence him to about three years more or less than the state guidelines for the robbery charge. Hodges' sentence for stealing jewelry from Mrs. Fischer's home in Sebastian was the maximum under state law. However, all that could change pending a decision by the appellate court. Under the plea agreement, Hodges may appeal Hawley's ruling that his alleged confession to state agents and Sebastian police detectives could be heard by a jury. Bob Stone, Hodges' attorney, asked that Hawley bar the confession from the case because Hodges only has a third-grade reading level and couldn't possibly have understood his Miranda rights when he told police he strangled Mrs. Fischer. By agreeing to the plea deal, the State Attorney's Office saved the court time, since Hodges could have appealed Hawley's decision after a lengthy jury trail, Assistant State Attorney Ed Taylor said. Builder charged with defrauding Former Versa Homes owner Guido Gregoris has been arrested and charged with defrauding at least seven homeowners in Indian River and Martin counties. He is the second person arrested in the case, the result of an 18-month investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. "Now the State Attorney's Office can go forward," said Tim Elder, special agent supervisor with FDLE. Gregoris, 73, was arrested Sept. 2 at the Orlando International Airport as he stepped off a plane coming from Canada, said special agent Jim Spiropoulos. FDLE officials knew Gregoris had been visiting relatives in Canada and had made arrangements for him to surrender on Sept. 3. However, because of the recent international bombings, customs officials have begun checking passengers on international flights for outstanding warrants. U.S. Customs Officers discovered Gregoris had a warrant from St. Lucie County and detained him until FDLE agents responded, he said. He was transported to the St. Lucie County Jail, where he remained Wednesday. Gregoris, of Sanford, was charged with one count of organized fraud and six counts of making false statements. He used counterfeit documents to show banks that work had been done on the homes so money could be withdrawn from the homeowners' construction accounts, Elder said. Many homeowners found subcontractors had not been paid for work that they had done even though money had been withdrawn from their accounts - meaning in some cases they paid twice for the work. FDLE officials have said that about $138,000 in construction money was taken from the banks of at least seven homeowners in Indian River and Martin counties. Many of those homeowners were from Sebastian, where Versa had an office from 1995-1997, building homes ranging from $85,000 to $120,000. Spiropoulos said he and Reece Parrish, an investigator with the State Attorney's Office, worked together on the case, poring through paperwork and contacting several different banks. "It's a lot of different banks, a lot of different paperwork. That's what took so long," he said. In August, former Versa Homes office manager Peggy Donohue, 37, of Port St. Lucie, also was arrested and charged with one count of organized fraud and five counts of forgery. Donohue, Gregoris' daughter-in-law, allegedly used forged final releases of liens, a forged notice of construction commencement and worthless checks to get construction money from the clients' banks. Elder said Gregoris' arrest is most likely the final one expected to be made in the case. FDLE investigated other former employees but did not have enough evidence for the State Attorney's Office to make a case, he said. But the final arrest was good news to Emelyn and Bill Comeau of Sebastian, who said they lost $49,000 by contracting with Versa Homes to build their home. "It's been a mess," Mrs. Comeau said. "I just want to see justice done. I think we all deserve it." Increase proposed in city travel budget Sebastian City Council members may have more money in the budget next year to attend seminars to learn more about how city governments operate. The proposed fiscal 1999 budget shows a $1,000 addition to the council's alloted mileage and travel expenditures. Last year, the council had $2,000 available to attend seminars and meetings and another $2,000 for education. If next year's budget is given final approval, the council will be able to spend $5,000 for travel and education. "There's all kinds of classes available," said Finance Director Janet Isman. Councilman Chuck Neuberger said he benefited greatly from his conference, learning in seminars about budgeting and how to be a good councilman. "I thought they were totally, completely necessary," he said. When Sebastian City Council members go to an out-of-town conference, they get paid for their travel expenses. The council spent $2,436.45 between October 1997 and Sept. 8 for travel expenses, which includes mileage to Tampa, Orlando and Ponte Vedra Beach, meals and hotel rooms. Councilwoman Louise Cartwright, Vice Mayor Martha Wininger and Neuberger each attended two seminars held by the Florida Institute of Government. Mrs. Cartwright went to Tampa on Oct. 24-26, 1997, and stayed in the Amerisuites Hotel at a total cost of $336.10. Former Mayor Walter Barnes went to the same conference, spending about $6 more in meals. Mrs. Cartwright attended a second conference in Orlando on June 12-13 of this year, staying in the Radisson Plaza at a total cost of $231. Neuberger went to the same conference, staying in the same hotel and spending about $3 more in mileage. Neuberger also attended a conference in Tampa April 17-19, staying at the Camberley Plaza at a total cost of $395.72. Mrs. Wininger attended the same conference spending about $12 more in mileage. Mrs. Wininger went to a conference in Ponte Vedra Beach June 30-July 2, staying at the Marriot at Sawgrass, spending a total of $353.48. Councilman Larry Paul went to one two-day conference in Vero Beach at a cost of $34.62 for mileage and meals. Barnes went to the same conference for about $20.30. "I've tried to keep my travel local," Paul said. City employees, including council members, follow state statutes governing mileage, since there is no local ordinance that outlines a travel policy, Isman said. They get 29 cents a mile in travel reimbursement and $21 a day for meals. Hotel rates are flexible, depending on where the conference is being held, she said. Councilmen also may get reimbursed for traveling out of Sebastian to attend Indian River County Commission meetings on behalf of the city or represent the city on a county committee. So far this year, however, none have claimed mileage for attending a county meeting - other than a state seminar - in Vero Beach or other part of the county. Some councilmen said they never knew they could get reimbursed for mileage. District sets aside $3.3K to dredge canals The Barefoot Bay Recreation District board of trustees Friday agreed to pay $3,300 for a "spot dredging" of the community's canal system, which has not been cleaned out in at least seven years. Helen Hambro, the district manager, said the work can be paid from regular funds in Barefoot Bay's budget. "It's hard to believe that $3,300 won't be more than a drop in the bucket, but let's do it. Let's get them cracking," Chairman Ben Krom said. The dredging will not be a complete overhaul, but will clean up some of the worst areas, Ms. Hambro said. Brevard County informed the Recreation District that property owners could lose a tax credit if major facility improvements are not made. The county grants taxpayers a 55 percent tax credit in their non-ad valorem taxes in recognition of the community's maintaining its own private stormwater system. In addition to the dredging, Ms. Hambro said she is waiting on cost estimates for an engineering study for possible improvements to the storm-water system. Council to pare city attorney list Sebastian City Council members may be spending their weekend reviewing resumes from those seeking to be the next city attorney. The council voted 4-0 to compile a "short list" of candidates by each member submitting five names to be interviewed. Those interviews will be held Oct. 3. Vice Mayor Martha Wininger was absent from the meeting, but told City Manager Thomas Frame earlier she preferred interviewing a short list of applicants. Councilwoman Louise Cartwright said she didn't want to short-list the applicants, saying that a decision shouldn't be made just on what's written on paper. "It's not like selecting an employee. On paper, it's hard to tell," she said. She later agreed to have each councilman submit five names. Councilman Chuck Neuberger said some applicants didn't have any experience with city government and therefore could be eliminated. Both he and Mayor Ruth Sullivan said Sebastian's city attorney needed to have a lot of government law experience. The city has been without a city attorney since July, when the council fired Valerie Settles. Neuberger and Sullivan cast dissenting votes. Attorney Tim Williams with Melbourne law firm Potter, McClelland, Marks & Healy has been serving as interim city attorney, attending the council meetings. The firm did not submit a proposal to be the permanent city attorney. Clifton McClelland of the same law firm served as city attorney for two years, then resigned saying the workload was too great. Twelve attorneys have submitted proposals for the position, with some suggesting ideas for an in-house position and others proposing a contractual arrangement. 09/18/98 Page: A11 Caption: INDIAN RIVER COUNTY ROAD AND BRIDGE worker Marty Braddy uses a backhoe to clear a ditch for a new drainage pipe along U.S. 1. The new pipe is part of the project to realign Barber Street and U.S. 1. 09/18/98 Page: A4 Caption: Bob Heckman poses by one of his two airplanes he keeps hangered at Valkaria Airfield. His interests are not limited to aviation as he plays piano with the Music-Aires. HIGH-FLYING MUSICIAN KEEPS THE BEAT GOING Byline: BILL VALYO of The Sun It was the Korean War and Bob Heckman was performing his duty for his country by serving in the elite Strategic Air Command of the United States Air Force. Among his other duties, Bob was a musician in the 527th Air Force Band that performed all over the country for Air Force personnel and their families as well as civilian events. He played the saxophone and piano in his stint in Gen. Curtis LeMay's command. Bob, a resident of Barefoot Bay, is a retired Federal Aviation Administration inspector and he has racked up many investigative hours combing for evidence in major air disasters that occurred during his employment with the government from 1969 through 1991. His investigation of an Eastern Airlines plane crash at Kennedy Airport led to the identification of wake turbulence and wind shear as major factors in airplane crashes. Heckman has not neglected his experience in both aviation and music in his other life. Although retired now he holds ratings both as an airline transport pilot and flight instructor. He has two airplanes which call the Valkaria Airfield their home. Prior to coming to the Sebastian area, Bob was chief pilot for two of the country's fabled entertainers, Cliff Robertson and Dina Merrill. The couple would engage Heckman to fly them to major airports around the East Coast from his flying school that he operated at the MacArthur Airport in Long Island, N.Y. At that time he had 30 airplanes at the school where he amassed 14,000 flying time hours as well as 10,000 hours as a flight instructor. The flying time that the performers provided Heckman allowed him to fly his Twin Beech aircraft to many interesting events around the country. The life of celebrity table hopping in the skies ended for Heckman as he decided to put the flaps down and settle into Treasure Coast living. He has not forgotten his musical roots however. The active Heckman began showing his talent at the Sebastian VFW eight years ago when a bartender there asked him to liven up Thursday afternoons at the club with some piano music. This little bit of melodious initiative has now mushroomed into a full blown marriage of local area musicians and people who love the music of years gone by. Every Thursday Heckman and his group, the Music-Aires, fill up the VFW with devotees of the music of Glenn Miller, the Dorsey Brothers, Harry James and all the name band tunes that made the 40's the decade of great tunes. The group is made up of musicians from Sebastian and Barefoot Bay and include pianist Wayne Sloyer, who played with Ralph Flanagan, the Fabulous Dorsey bands, the Blue Baron Band out of Cleveland and Meyer Davis' famed orchestra based in New York City. Fred Leblanc, a bass guitar player from Barefoot Bay, Frank Baldoni of Sebastian on clarinet, Vincent Ingolia also on clarinet and Bill Austin of Sebastian on drums round out the talented group. Austin replaces Bill League, the band's drummer of eight years, who passed away suddenly last month. There have been many notes played since Bob left Andrew Jackson High School in St. Albans, N.Y., and since he played in the city's hand-picked band in Central Park every Saturday morning in 1948. But the career of this versatile pilot/musician continues as he and his Music-Aires continue to perform each Thursday and Saturday afternoon at the VFW. When asked about the most favorite request his band gets when they perform, Heckman replies that "there isn't a real favorite. All of the music that we play have been favorites for over 50 years with the people that like our type of music." 09/18/98 Page: A8 VA ATTEMPTS TO PLACE MEDICAL CENTERS NEAR Byline: Richard Higgins Veteran's Voice More VA CBOC. Sanford will be the site of a new community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC) under a plan announced Sept. 2. The Sanford clinic is a part of a congressionally mandated move of veterans health care closer to where the veterans are. Sanford is 35 miles from a larger full-scale clinic at Orlando and 170 miles from its "mother" Veterans Administration Medical Center at Tampa. When bracketed with VA facilities at Palm Bay, Viera (1999), Orlando, Daytona Beach and Fort Pierce, the picture of VA's grand design is apparent. An ultimate goal of placing VA medical care for veterans at a travel time limit of 30 minutes emerges. However, there are still gaps in the facilities planning revealed thus far. Local leaders of service veterans organizations may want to survey their areas, determine where these gaps are, observe availability of existing local non-VA medical facilities and make appropriate recommendations through their national headquarters. Eight other clinics in Indiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Kansas were also announced. This group of nine brings the total number of clinics approved this year to 80, the total number approved since 1996 to more than 200 and a grand total of more than 600 clinics of various types, according to VA doctor Kenneth W. Kizer, VA Under-Secretary for Health. Class Action Suit Stumbles. Colonel George "Bud" Day (USAF-Ret.) and his Class Act Group were dealt a body blow when Judge Roger Vinson of the U.S. District Court in Pensacola dismissed the health care lawsuit they filed against the government. The lawsuit contended the government wrongfully took the property (the promised health care) of retirees who entered service before June 7, 1956. Judge Vinson did not disagree that the government had promised retirees lifetime health care but stated current law did not allow him to order the United States to do so. He said "Under the Constitutional separation of powers, relief for the plaintiffs must come from Congress and not from the Judiciary." The Class Act Group (CAG) and the Coalition of Retired Military Veterans (CORMV) from South Carolina intend to carry out their previously arranged plans for the Convention to Educate Congress in Washington on Sept. 22. Two bus loads of veterans will meet on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol at 2:30 p.m. to talk with Senators John McCain, Bob Graham, Connie Mack and Coverdell along with Representatives Moran and Scarborough. Other congressmen are expected to join the group. Veterans who desire to be part of this action either through joining the bus groups or by donating to the cause can call 1-800 972-6275. Push Flag Constitutional Amendment. The Senate has not yet set a date to vote on SJ Res 40, the proposed amendment to the Constitution that would allow Congress to prohibit physical desecration of the U.S. flag, but it's expected before the end of September. Once the Senate and House pass identical versions, the decision can be sent to the states where the people can decide the issue. Land Warrior Coming. Now, all you old soldiers (who never die), hear this! A war-fighting system tagged "Land Warrior," will soon make U.S. soldiers and marines unmatched at what they do best, as if they weren't already. In 1991, an Army study group recommended the service look at the soldier as a complete weapons system with the most important part of the system between the ears. Subsystems include the weapon, integrated helmet assembly, protective clothing and individual equipment (computer/radio and software). The weapon subsystem has a laser range-finder/digital compass, a daylight video camera, a laser aiming light and a thermal sight. The system will allow infantrymen to operate in all types of weather and at night. It is said that a soldier can even shoot around corners with the rig. The helmet will have a monocular day display, a night sensor with flat panel display, a laser detection module, ballistic/laser eye protect, a microphone and a headset. Soldiers using a weapon-mounted camera can send videos to their leaders. Most importantly, the rucksack has quick-release straps so infantrymen can just drop it and perform that well known military mission referred to as "getting the heck out of there." - Richard Higgins is VFW Post No. 4425 Senior Vice Commander/Legislative Chairman and District Eight (Brevard County) Legislative Chairman/Public Relations Chairman. 09/18/98 Page: A8 Caption: U.S.A. Region No. 45 secretary Fred Klein and Tony Berrington, treasurer of the Nottinghamshire, England IPA, sign the IPA Twinning Agreement. POLICE FIND BROTHERS AROUND WORLD Byline: Margaret Miquelon Here and There Have you ever heard of the International Police Association (IPA)? The IPA is the largest police organization in the world with more than a quarter of a million members and national sections in 60 countries throughout the world. It is open to every serving or retired police officer, irrespective of rank, sex, race, color, language or religion. Fred Klein, who is secretary of the Elks Club in Sebastian, is also secretary of the International Police Association, Region 45 of the United States Section. He gave me this information: The Association was formed in 1950 because a police sergeant, Arthur Troop from Lincolnshire, England, wanted to create a channel for friendship and international cooperation among police officers. He wanted to form an association with development of social, cultural and professional links among its members, in an environment free from discrimination of rank, sex, race, color, language or religion. Their motto is service through friendship. The IPA creates an opportunity for cultural exchange and contacts on a national and international level. It is for members and their families who wish to travel anywhere in the world. Members are offered courtesies, offered assistance and given tours usually not available to the general public. Who knows a city or town like the police officer who lives and works there? It is great to be greeted by the friendly face of a new-found friend at a destination. The Space Coast Region No. 45 of IPA includes all of Brevard and Indian River counties. In 1996, 34 members of the club from the Nottinghamshire, England, IPA came to our area and were hosted by local members of the IPA. While some of their members visited here this past July, this region and theirs signed a twinning agreement. It was officially recognized by the International Secretary General of the IPA, Alan Carter. This ceremony was held at the Elks Club in Sebastian. Due to the extraordinarily friendly relations between the members of this region and the members of the Nottinghamshire Branch of the IPA, they mutually decided to formally twin the regions. Tony Berrington, treasurer of the Nottinghamshire IPA and Fred Klein, secretary for Region No. 45 signed the twinning agreement. The IPA All Florida Weekend will be held at the Holiday Inn, 1301 Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach, Sept. 25, 26 & 27. A flyer is available with details for the entire weekend. Fred Klein emphasizes that you do not have to be a member of the Elks to join IPA. Just an active or retired police officer. This club is strictly a friendship club. They call it the best kept secret in the police world. Dues are $20 per year. A local newsletter is sent out to members every two months. They have a social affair every month. There are seven regions in Florida. Each region takes a turn hosting a meeting. The dinner Oct. 14 will be hosted by the local club at the VFW Club on Louisiana Avenue. They have planned a picnic at Fisherman's Landing on U.S. 1 in Grant Nov. 7, which will be free to members and their spouses or guests. Fred Klein tells about the IPA houses that are located all over the world, except for the U.S. They can house up to 16 people comfortably at the one in Dublin for a minimal charge. In Killarney, Ireland, three couples can be housed. They arrange tours and trips to scenic places. But he stresses that everyone working with the IPA are volunteers and don't get paid. Friendship weeks, sports events and anniversary celebrations are held to encourage international membership participation. Gimborn Castle in Germany is the flagship of the association. It is the IPA International Education Center where seminars, conferences and meetings are held for international participation on police related topics. The International Police Association is one of the most unique social organizations in the world. It does not compete with any other police-oriented group. Fred Klein is willing and able to talk to anyone who wishes more information about this organization. Contact him at 589-8624. Or write him at P.O. Box 780092, Sebastian, FL 32978. 09/18/98 Page: A6 GARDEN CLUB SLATES VARIETY OF EVENTS Byline: BRIEF Since summer time travels and vacations are drawing to an end, it is time to initiate the busy Garden Club schedule. Members are delighted to see our "snowbird" members winging their way back to Barefoot Bay. Because some of the members have volunteered for the "Adopt-A-Shore Program," we would appreciate their contacting President Betty Ellerman at 664-5332. There will be a cleanup of the beaches - Golden Sands and Treasure Shores - on Saturday, Sept. 19. Betty is anxious to schedule member-volunteers to follow through on the club's commitment to this project. The first meeting of the season was held on Wednesday, Sept., 16, at 9 a.m. at Bldg. D-E. The club welcomed Ms. Janice Alford, director of the McKee Botanical Garden, as the featured speaker. Ms. Alford covered the historical importance and continuing renovation of the garden. She enhanced her presentation with slides illustrating the progress of this major restoration project. The annual hibiscus show, sponsored by the Hibiscus Club of Vero Beach, will be held on Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Community Center on 14th Avenue in Vero Beach. This is truly a botanical extravaganza and we encourage all to attend and enjoy! This is also the place to purchase those exotic varieties which you may have seen and admired but have not been able to purchase locally. The club will be starting sign-ups for two Garden Club events in November. The first day trip of the season will be on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Members will visit Morakami Museum and Japanese Gardens. In addition to our guided tour of the facility, we will be treated to a special class/demonstration of origami - the are of decorative paper folding. After a quick luncheon, we will visit the Palm Beach Zoo, also to be greeted by a guide and a special up-close animal encounter. Members are asked to sign up as soon as possible, so that we can finalize arrangements. The club's second sign-up will be to take part in our annual "Make Your Own Thanksgiving Centerpiece" workshop at our November meeting. Since the club furnishes the flowers, it will be necessary to have an accurate count of members planning to participate. Horticultural Chairperson Ann Chase has suggested the theme for the show table this month as "after vacation." This would include whatever is in bloom in your garden at this time of the year, or any unusual plant or blooms brought back from vacation destinations. The club also invites participation by all in our sharing table this month. Just bring along whatever excess cuttings, bulbs, tubers or plants from your garden to share with others. As promised at the June meeting, members have secured copies of the literature on bromeliads and ferns and they will be available to all on the sharing table. We look forward to a full, busy season this year in the club and encourage all to attend and enjoy. New members are always welcome. 09/18/98 Page: A7 FISH FRY SLATED FOR SATURDAY Byline: BRIEF The Sebastian Church of God is having a fish fry on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 4 until 7 p.m. The church is located at 281 Delaware Ave. From U.S. 1, go west on County Road 512 to the first traffic light, and then south one block. All are welcome to come out and support this event. 09/18/98 Page: A9 SIGN UP FOR STOP SMOKING SECRETS Byline: BRIEF The American Lung Association of Southeast Florida will conduct a Freedom From Smoking Clinic Wednesdays, Oct. 7-Nov. 11, from 6-8 p.m., Dining Room No. 1 at the Sebastian River Medical Center, 13695 U.S. 1, Sebastian. A professionally trained facilitator guides smokers through a seven week step-by-step process and creates a supportive group environment to help break the smoking addiction. Each smoker also develops an individual plan for quitting. Special attention will be given to the pitfalls of relapse and how to prevent it. The clinic also offers the latest techniques for stress management, weight control, assertive communication, exercise, and other skills to help nonsmokers become smoke-free for life! The registration fee is $49 per participant. Pre-registration and pre-payment is required. For more information or to register for a Smoke-Free Clinic, please call the American Lung Association of Southeast Florida at (561) 659-7644 or outside West Palm Beach at 1-800-330-LUNG. 09/18/98 Page: A12 DRAMA CLASSES OFFERED FOR LOCAL YOUTHS Byline: BRIEF Riverside Children's Theatre is ready for the fall season with more space, more classes and more teachers. Classes begin Monday and run for 12 weeks. The enlarged Agnes Wahlstrom Youth Playhouse will allow for a variety of classes. Offerings are for children 4-18 and range from introduction to creative drama to advanced monologue and scene study. Young students can take a class in faerie tales, in which they will rewrite and act out some of their all-time favorites. Older students can learn about what is involved in musical theater, from dance styles to vocal techniques. Production work is also offered from instruction in auditioning to a directing/play writing lab to an advanced video production class. Also offered is a full slate of dance classes with instructor Yvonne Miller and a voice workshop with Eric Thomas. Other teachers include RCT directors Jim Allen, Jeremy Baker and Eileen Loughran, as well as Martha Manning Thomas, Tania Jones and Schumetta McLendon. Returning students can receive a 10 percent discount on tuition if they encourage a friend to enroll. Scholarships are available. Phone the RCT office at 234-8052 for further details. 09/18/98 Page: B1 INDIAN RIVER FALL CLASSES OFFER SOMETHING FOR ALL AGES Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun Just because summer is over doesn't mean the fun has to stop. The Vero Beach-Indian River County Recreation Department recently released its 1998 fall programs brochure and it's packed with activities for Sebastian residents to do. The Sebastian River Middle School gym again will be open for sports for adults and youth. Every Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m., the gym will be open to adults aged 18 and older for basketball. All games will last for 20 minutes or until a team reaches 11 points with baskets counting one point each. The cost is just $1 per session per player and registration is ongoing throughout the fall. For more information, call Matt Sims at 567-2144 or call 978-4543 to leave a message. On Wednesdays, there will be open volleyball for players aged 16 and older from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost also is just $1 per player per session. For more information, call Julie Kelly at 567-2144. Registration for the North County Youth Basketball League begins on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Kiwanis Hobart Park and registration will continue until all teams are filled. Teams are available for boys and girls from age 4 to high school seniors. The fee is $20 per player and team sponsorships are available for $125. Games will be held on Monday and Wednesday evenings and on Saturday mornings throughout the season. Call Sims for more information. John Franklin of the Vero Beach Karate Association will instruct karate classes at the Sebastian Senior Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 until 7 p.m. The fee for a single student is $50 and for families is $65. To register, call Franklin at 567-9899. The Sebastian Community Center again will come alive with tumblers, dancers and aerobicizers this fall as new classes begin. The Fall I session for Gyminny Crickets, boys and girls aged 3 to 5, Beginner Gymnastics, boys and girls aged 5 and up and Intermediate Gymnastics for boys and girls who have mastered beginner gymnastics began on Sept. 15 and runs until Oct. 29. The Fall II session gets under way on Nov. 5 and runs until Dec. 20. Classes are on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and cost $35 per student for a seven-week session. For more information, call Kathy Falzone at 589-8444. Pre-dance classes for children aged 4 and 5 and ballet/tap classes for children aged 5 to 9 will be held each Tuesday afternoon at the Sebastian Senior Center. Tap/ballet/jazz classes will be held each Wednesday afternoon at the Sebastian Community Center and are open to children aged 8 to 11 by invitation from instructor Julie Norman. The cost is $18 per pre-paying student per month or $5 per class. For more information, call Norman at 563-2964. Coed aerobic workout classes will be offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the Sebastian Community Center. The cost is $2 per class. Senior coed aerobic workout classes will be offered on Tuesday through Friday mornings at the Sebastian Community Center. The cost is $1 per class. Two new exercise programs at the Sebastian Community Center are Yoga for Life and the People with Arthritis Can Exercise (PACE) program. Gentle Yoga classes will be held on Tuesday mornings at the community center and on Friday mornings at the Sebastian Yacht Club. The cost is $5 per class. Basic Yoga classes will be held on Wednesday evenings at the community center for $7 per class. Both Hatha Yoga classes will be taught by Joann Leighton. Call Falzone for more information. In cooperation with the Arthritis Foundation, the recreation department is offering PACE Basic Program on Monday and Thursday mornings taught by Falzone, a certified Arthritis Foundation instructor. There is a one-time $12 registration fee payable to the Arthritis Foundation, which includes a PACE manual. Classes cost $1 per session. For more information, call Falzone or to register, call the Arthritis Foundation at 561-833-1133. The recreation department always welcomes sponsors and volunteers. For more information, call 567-2144 or 770-6500. 09/18/98 Page: B1 HEROES ABOUND IN SPORTS AND POLITICS Byline: Bill Valyo Ever since Mark McGwire hit that home run to break Roger Maris' record, this writer has wondered about heroes who are looked up to by kids all over the world. In recent newspaper features, polls are being taken and questions asked to both adults and kids alike inquiring about their "role models" that they look up too. The high percentage of cases show athletes getting the nod as heroes and heroines. Sports stars such as McGwire, Michael Jordan and the recently crowned U.S. Open tennis champ, Lindsay Davenport, will command top spots in the "look up to" award. Because of the media barrage into their personal lives, heroes today can be dissected easily by the kids. Products sold by the athlete are gobbled up by adoring fans as fast as advertising people can spin their web. My hero when I was a kid was Lou Gehrig, the New York Yankee first baseman. Because of the lack of television and all the other media hype, Gehrig took the shape of the movie actor Gary Cooper to me. Except for the rare Movietone News shots of him playing ball, the only picture in my mind was developed by the motion picture "Pride Of The Yankees", the life-story of the great ballplayer. Even today Gehrig remains a hero to me. He played in the shadow of Babe Ruth yet there was a magnificent dignity about him that outshone any of the exploits that the Babe would accomplish. It's so unfortunate that the only reference to Lou Gehrig today is that he bears a name of a disease. Presidents of the United States also were high on my list of heroes. Growing up during the second World War, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a hero. When he spoke the whole nation listened and believed. Ronald Reagan also goes down as a hero. He made me proud of my country. Ernie Pyle, the war correspondent, was also a hero. He wrote about the common soldier as he made his way through Europe and the South Pacific. I looked up to my coaches as heroes when I was growing up. They always made an impression on me and looking around the area people who lead kids such as Mike Stutske, George Young and Bill McCarty would rank high up on my list of heroes if I were growing up today. 09/18/98 Page: B1 Keywords: Volleyball Caption: Sebastian River Middle School coach Kim O'Keefe, kneeling in the center, goes over last minute strategies with the volleyball team before its first home match on Sept. 15. No. 21 is Kelli Shivers, No. 25 is Kathryn Simmons, to O'Keefe's right is Tamra Wiles and to O'Keefe's left is Hanna Ernest. VOLLEYBALL COWBOYS BEGIN BUILDING THEIR NEW SEASON Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun Sebastian River Middle School ushered in its first home game of the 1998 volleyball season with a crowded gym and enthusiastic fans. The excitement resulted in a few pre-game jitters for the young Cowboy squad as it faced Gifford in its first Treasure Coast Conference game of the season. "They had that first-game nervousness," Sebastian River coach Kim O'Keefe said. "Overall I think they did a good job." After a shaky first game, the Cowboys found their groove, handing the Dolphins a decisive, 15-6 loss to send the match to game three. But despite an early lead, clutch serving by Gifford player Jackie Beechum lifted the Dolphins over their cross-town rivals to take the match, 15-4, 6-15, 15-6. "We feel kind of bad but it's okay," Sebastian River eighth-grader Elizabeth Fedon said. "We only lost by a little. I think we're going to shape up a lot better." In game one, Gifford player Audra Martin racked up nine service points before Sebastian River player Kelli Shivers got a kill for the sideout. Gifford hit the ball out of bounds for the Cowboys' first point but won the ball back on the next serve. After Gifford scored again, Sebastian River won back the ball and forced a Gifford error for its second point. But the Cowboys languished there while the Dolphins brought the score to 13-2. The two teams traded sideouts until Sebastian River won the ball, earning two more points. One point was scored on a Gifford error and another on a skillful tip by Sebastian River eighth-grader Chrissy Schoonmaker. But it was too little too late as Gifford regained possession and Jayla Thornton got two service points in a row for the 15-4 win. The Cowboys looked like a completely different team as they took the floor for game two. "We really wanted to win because we lost the other one," Sebastian River eighth-grader Tamra Wiles said. "We just got really pumped up." After two quick points by the Dolphins, Sebastian River eighth-grader Bethany Mulcahy got two straight service points to tie the score at two all. Kathryn Simmons added another service point for the Cowboys before Wiles got the ball and scored six unanswered points for the solid 9-2 lead. "It got hard when (O'Keefe) called the time out and then I had to break from it," Wiles said. "And then I had to go back to serving." The Dolphins would score just four more points in the game as Jennifer Shows, Sarah Porter and Mulcahy helped lead the Cowboys to the 15-6 win and the tie-breaking third game. "We were serving really good and we got to the open balls," Elizabeth Fedon said. Gifford jumped out to a 2-1 lead but the Cowboys quickly recovered as Mulcahy handed out five service points, including three aces, to overtake the Dolphins 6-2. "(The Cowboys) knew they still had a chance, there were still potentially three games to the match," O'Keefe said. ' But Beechum played catch up for the Dolphins with four service points in a row and then took the lead for her team with nine more, including two aces, for the 15-6 win. "I think we were having trouble because people weren't calling the ball," Mulcahy said. While it was a disappointing loss for the Cowboys, the team learned it can recover from a deficit and has strong serving skills in Wiles and Mulcahy. "Me and Bethany, we really didn't play much last year because we had so many good people on the team," Wiles said. "But now this year, they look to us. We just get out there and try our best." A disciplined team well-schooled in the proper techniques, the Cowboys suffered in the last game because Gifford usually didn't take three hits to return the ball. "I think we did good with our serving and working on getting three hits because it was hard when the other team got over on just one hit," Mulcahy said. Sebastian River, on the other hand, uses the three proper hits - passing or digging, setting and spiking or bumping - for the return. Expecting the same from the Dolphins, Sebastian River was surprised a few times when Gifford returned the ball on just one hit. "The other side wasn't setting the ball," O'Keefe said. "(The Cowboys) got caught waiting for them to set the ball. They weren't ready for it to come right back over." Technically sound, Sebastian River needs only to improve its communication on the floor to become a dominant team in the conference again. The Cowboys go on the road for the next seven games and return home on Oct. 6 for a game against Okeechobee-Yearling. The game is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. 09/18/98 Page: B1 Caption: From left, Sebastian Panthers flag football cheerleaders Devin Hamilton, Ariel Shirley and Nikki DeDominicis practice a cheer in preparation for their team's first home game. PANTHER CHEERLEADERS PRACTICE FOR A NEW YEAR ON THE SIDELINE Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun Yellow and black ribbons in their hair and bouncy pom-pons on their new, white tennis shoes, about 50 Sebastian Panthers cheerleaders crowded into the upstairs room of the Barber Street field house. While some primped and preened, changing into their colorful uniforms, others giggled behind cupped hands as they gossiped with their fellow cheerleaders. Although photo day for the youngsters was called off due to rain, many hung around to practice their choreographed cheers, their yells echoing off the walls and their stomping feet vibrating the floor. "We've got spirit, yes we do. We've got spirit how 'bout YOU!" As the Sebastian Panthers football teams take center stage for their first regular-season home game tonight, Sept. 18, the cheerleaders will take their place on the sidelines to cheer on their friends and classmates. While most of the squads stay with the traditional black and yellow uniforms with skirts and tops, the Juniors add a little sparkle this year, donning all-black, spandex mini-dresses dotted with rhinestones. "Everyone wanted the new uniforms," Kristin Jones said. "We're going to wear them for competition." The Flags add yellow one-piece jumpers to their wardrobe, which they'll trade off with their traditional skirts and tops as they support their football team. Most of the cheerleaders and football players are the same age and attend the same schools and so know each other very well. "I know a lot of the players," Kaila Nichols said. "They like it when we're there cheering for them." But the cheerleaders are developing teams of their own as they begin to focus more closely on the annual Brevard Youth Football and Cheerleading Association cheerleading competition scheduled for Nov. 15. As defending champions, the Bantam team, consisting of girls aged 11, try to perfect their movements so they can make another strong showing this year. "You have to stay straight, yell loud, smile big, hands on hip," Whitney Brackett said. But it won't be easy. The Bantam squad, with just eight members, will have to compete against teams with dozens of members. "It's hard working with a small team because you can't do as many things," Molly Mieras said. "So we have to make really good pyramids." This year, the Peewees (10-year-olds), the Bantams and the Juniors (12-13-year-olds) will add a dance to their competition repertoire, allowing for a little more freedom and creativity than the usual cheers and chants do. "In the years before, only the seniors have been allowed to dance," Hogate said. "And we'll have a (social) dance on the Friday night before homecoming and pick the king and queen." The older squads also are increasing their stunting skills as the Bantams and Juniors graduate to shoulder stands and full extensions and dismount with pop cradles. They've become just as tough as the athletes pounding it out on the football field. It's a lot different than when new Juniors coach Michelle Jones was a Panthers cheerleader. "For one thing, when I was a Panthers cheerleader, we made our uniforms, we didn't buy them," Jones said. "And we didn't have competitions." Even now, winning a competition is just a small part of being a Panthers cheerleader. The five squads, Flags, Mighty Mites, Peewees, Bantams and Juniors, practice almost every night and spend most of each Saturday on the often hot, muddy football sidelines. But it's worth it said Tara Drew, because it's so much fun. "I like everything about it," Drew said. "You get to know so many people and make so many friends. I hate to miss a day." Long-time board member Julie Hogate takes over as cheerleading coordinator this season as former coordinator Jill Frost becomes vice president of the league. Hogate enjoys watching her two sons, Justin Barker and Bradley Hogate, have their fun on the field and now she'll have about 60 cheerleaders to help her root them on from the sidelines. "I've only been on the football side of it," Hogate said. "I'm learning as I go." The Panthers cheerleaders will make their home debut on Saturday, Sept. 18, while continuing to prepare for competition in November. The Brevard Youth Soccer and Cheerleading Association cheerleading competition is schedules for Nov. 15 at Merritt Island High School. 09/18/98 Page: A1 FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: State scientists realized a mysterious algae could only be found in one place on the continent - Sebastian. The algae, Gymnodinium puichellum, was responsible for a large-scale fish kill in the Indian River the year before, and another fish-kill in 1990. Department of Environmental Protection Research Administrator Jan Landsberg said, "At the time, it was the first time we were aware of the species recorded in North America." Landsberg and other state scientists documented the occurrence of the algae, which is related to the deadly, toxic red tide algae. The algae had mainly been found in Japan and Australia, and was frequently the culprit of fish kills at aquaculture farms, according to Landsberg. How the algae ended up in Sebastian was an enigma. Landsberg guessed that the algae had escaped during shipping while it was carried in ballast water that was later jettisoned. 09/18/98 Page: A1 Caption: (Color) Paasch CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Robert Paasch. AGE: 78. OCCUPATION: Retired chief engineer of a television station. BIRTHPLACE: Jersey City, N.J. MOVED HERE: 1983. HOBBIES: Antenna design, auto mechanics. FAVORITE AUTHOR:Technical books and publications. WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBORHOOD: I don't have to get up and go to work. I like being away from Miami and I like the quaintness of Sebastian. 09/18/98 Page: A1 WEEKEND PICKS The Sebastian Church of God is having a fish fry on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 4 until 7 p.m. The church is located at 281 Delaware Ave. From U.S. 1, go west on County Road 512 to the first traffic light, and then south one block. All are welcome to come out and support this event. 09/18/98 Page: A1 WHAT DID HE SAY? "It's hard to believe that $3,300 won't be more than a drop in the bucket, but let's do it. Let's get them cracking." - Chairman Ben Krom Krom made this observation during discussion by the Barefoot Bay Recreation District board of trustees during a meeting Sept. 11 where $3,300 was allocated to "spot dredge" some overgrown canals in the community. 09/18/98 Page: A1 Caption: Red Cross Branch Coordinator Maureen Forsythe helps Caroline Chruszcz sign up for a CPR class at the grand opening of the new Sebastian office. RED CROSS OPENS HISTORIC FIRST BRANCH OFFICE IN CITY Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun At one point, there were so many people inside, you could barely get in the door. And that's just the kind of response the American Red Cross of Indian River County hoped for at the grand opening of its new Sebastian branch on Sept. 12. By the afternoon, more than 60 people had toured the office and classroom located in the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce annex on Main St. and a dozen had signed up to become Red Cross volunteers. "It looks like we're making the inroads we want to," Disaster Specialist Frank Hoover said. The rest of the visitors signed up for classes, picked up brochures and ate a few cookies washed down with cups of lemonade to celebrate the new office. Red Cross volunteer Walker Smith, otherwise known as Heartford the Clown, handed out balloon animals while Hoover gave tours of the Red Cross' new Emergency Response Vehicle. But what Branch Coordinator Maureen Forsythe most wanted people to get from the grand opening is that the Red Cross is there to serve the residents of Sebastian. "The main idea is that we're here, we're visible, we're available," Forsythe said. As a resident of Sebastian, Hoover knows that the people of Sebastian sometimes feel left out and separated from the happenings in Vero Beach. But he also knows that the American Red Cross of Indian River County has been working for all the residents of the county for 72 years. "(Sebastian residents) say things like, 'It's really nice to have the Red Cross here,' and I tell them we've been here 72 years," Hoover said. "But that's what it's all about, letting people know that the services are here." Having an office in Sebastian will give residents easier access to the Red Cross and assurance that it is there to serve everybody, Forsythe said. The office will be open every Monday and Wednesday. Popular classes such as adult and child and infant CPR will be offered regularly by certified instructors and blood pressure monitoring will be available on Mondays. After the staff has reviewed surveys filled out by visitors to the grand opening, the Red Cross will decide what other classes and speakers residents want most in Sebastian and if the office needs to be open an extra day. "We're trying to tailor our program here to what North County wants," Forsythe said. "We're trying not to come in with an agenda, we're trying to develop the agenda. Whatever they want, we'll try to provide." People can also register in the Sebastian office for any class that the Red Cross offers, eliminating the need for a trip to Vero Beach to sign up for programs like swimming classes at Leisure Square. Red Cross informational brochures are also available at the new office. The residents who attended the grand opening were delighted with the new office. Recently-retired nurse Inez Fielding, a 15-year resident of Sebastian, eagerly came to the office to tour the emergency response vehicle. As a former nurse, she knows the impact the Red Cross has on the community and is thrilled with the new office. She also hopes the close proximity will allow her to become an active volunteer. "I think it's great," Fielding said. "I've always wanted to volunteer and take courses with the Red Cross. But because I live in Sebastian, it was too far when I finished work. So this iswelcome in Sebastian." Su-Ann Zilnicki, also a long-time resident of Sebastian, stopped by with two of her co-workers to pick up information on getting certified in CPR. She was always interested in getting certified, she said, but with the new office, it was really easy to drop in and pick up the information. "I'm glad they're here, we need it," Zilnicki said. "I'd like to have CPR. It's good to have it because you never know." Ruth Paasch stopped by to show her support for the Red Cross and share momentos of her volunteer days with the national organization. "I thought it was a good idea, that's why I came in," Paasch said. "I'm a big supporter of the Red Cross." She showed the certificate she received when she became a Red Cross nurse's aide in 1954 along with her blue and white cap and a newspaper clipping of her induction ceremony. When she volunteered in Pennsylvania during the Korean War, she said, nurses aides did everything but give injections, from taking blood pressure to making their own bandages. She filled out a form so she could continue the volunteer work she started so long ago. Occupational therapist Caroline Chruszcz was driving by and saw the new office and dropped in to sign up for a CPR class. As an occupational therapist, she needs to get recertified every year. As a Sebastian resident, she can now take the classes close to home. "I just saw it driving by and I knew I had to update (my CPR certification)," Chruszcz said. "I'm sure more people in the area will make use of it." While the Red Cross had been thinking about opening a branch in Sebastian for years, First Vice Chairman of the Board Susan Hartley said, it wasn't until the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce offered its annex earlier this year that the project really got off the ground. "We have been looking for ways for years to find a way to make a better presence in Sebastian," Hartley said. "When (the Chamber) approached us, we said, 'Wow, that's fantastic.' " Sebastian Mayor Ruth Sullivan and Chamber President Ed Moore, as well a numerous members of the board of directors of the Chamber and the Red Cross, showed their enthusiastic support by performing the ribbon cutting, officially opening the new Red Cross office to the people of Sebastian. Local businesses showed their support by donating items as door prizes. The American Red Cross of Indian River County Sebastian branch is located in the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce annex on the corner of U.S. 1 and Main Street. The office is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Blood pressure screening begins on Sept. 28 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Adult CPR classes begin on Oct. 7 from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and child and infant CPR classes begin on Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The office can be reached at 388-2715. 09/18/98 Page: A1 Caption: Ed Beigel, owner of Sebastian Sportscards, holds a 1985 Topps rack pack, which is three packs in one, in his right hand that might contain a rookie card of Mark McGwire. In his right hand he hold a 1990 Leaf, Series 1, pack that could contain a Sammy Sosa rookie card. MCGWIRE, SOSA ARE BIG HITS AT LOCAL SPORTS CARD SHOP Byline: MIKE WALTON Sun Editor You can measure the ups and downs of a professional sports figure by how his card does on the open market. Take Mark McGwire for example. Last year McGwire was racing toward the home run title held since 1961 by Roger Maris with 61, but he came up shy with 58 after 156 games. Still, you might think, he's young and strong and this season he was bound to do as well or better. But until the baseball season started in April, McGwire's baseball card languished in stores like Ed Beigel's Sebastian Sportscards, located at 945 Fellsmere Highway at the corner of Barber Street. "He had 58 the year before so everyone knew to look for him," Beigel said, but he had also been plagued with injuries, so the buyers waited. "I sold some in January for $25," he said of McGwire's card. "Who would have known?" Then in April McGwire started hitting those baseballs out of parks and a rapid clip, and pow, by May McGwire's rookie card could be, it might be, it was, sold right out of the shop. Now that rookie card sells for between $100 and $150, depending on its condition and centering, Beigel said. A condition of the card depends on how well it has weathered the time it has been unpacked from a set of cards. Are the corners rounded? Are there creases or fingerprint marks? Centering refers to how the image is placed on the card and depends completely on factors out of the owner's control. If it has an even edge of space around the image on the card, then it is well-centered and worth top dollar. A baseball card these days is likely to be in pretty good shape, Beigel said. Gone are the days when cards came in packs with bubble gum and were just as likely to end up in the spokes of a bicycle as easily in a collection of favorite players or a favorite team. "The kids today don't really have the fun we had with them," said Beigel, 38. "They get them and they go straight into hard plastic (holders), never to be touched by human hands again." With lists of how much cards are worth updated on a monthly basis, collecting sports cards now resembles training for the stock market. In last month's book, Sammy Sosa cards went for $25, this month's book his value doubled and Beigel expects it to go even higher, now that he has joined McGwire's high-hitting ranks. "It doubled in just one book," Beigel said Tuesday, and the rush for Sosa cards hit his shop Monday. "He's just as hot," he said of Sosa cards. "All of the sudden, out of nowhere." Beigel said that Sosa cards have lots of room to grow more expensive because he isn't as well-known as McGwire. But things like home-run hit races such as this one are a real boon for his business. "They've really given the baseball cards a shot in the arm," Beigel said. While Sosa and McGwire are obvious choices for collecting, if you can afford them now, the real trick to collecting cards for investment purposes is to look to the future for someone who may become great. Beigel points to Adrian Beltre, who just moved up to the majors in less that a year with the AA league Vero Beach Dodgers. "He's climbing the ladder very fast," Beigel said, and thus has the earmarks of a potential great, if numerous potential disasters do not befall him. With so many players, cards and card manufacturers out there, how does someone interested in collecting cards go about it? "The key is to collect what you like," Beigel said. "It's just there's too many cards and card makers out there and it would get too expensive to collect everything." Beigel has customers who limit themselves to a particular team or brand of cards and others who like to collect Hall of Famers. "I have a guy who collects players with odd names," Beigel said. "It's relatively inexpensive because they are often the lesser known players." For himself, Beigel is the classic example who collected cards as a child, only to have his mother throw them away after he grew up and left the house. He collects some today. "I've go my own personal collection," he said. "I've got two kids so I try to put something away for them." But he said having a personal collection is difficult for him. "I'm in business to sell, so I can't afford to fall in love with them," Beigel said. He has little problem relating to the love his customers have for the cards, however. He said he likes seeing people leaf through his books of cards, some that go back to the 1960s. "A lot of people get flashbacks. 'I remember having that card,'" Beigel said. For those who just have to have a McGwire rookie card, the shop owner has a bit of sage advice. Forget buying the packs of 50 for $15 a shot. "Save up for the rookie card, that's the most desirable," he said. "Buy what you can afford." END Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun September 25, 1998 c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Copy Editor: Michael Kaiser Advertising Manager: Debbi Vickers (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. 09/25/98 Page: A3 BROCHURES LIST PROGRAMS BY RECREATION DEPT. Byline: BRIEF The Vero Beach-Indian River County Recreation Department has new fall brochures available that covers programs and events in Vero Beach, Sebastian, Fellsmere, Gifford and Wabasso and is available at Leisure Square, 3705 16th St., and at the Recreation Administration Building, 1725 17th Ave., Vero Beach. The department has on-going registration for all fall programs. For more information, call 567-2144. 09/25/98 Page: A3 VOLUNTEER MUSICIANS SOUGHT FOR BANJOLIERS Byline: BRIEF The Council on Aging's Activities Program is looking for volunteer musicians to join the Treasure Coast Banjoliers in October. This group, led by Tom Ingrao, plays on Thursdays at the council's Senior Center. Musicians who play an instrument other than banjos are welcome to join Ingrao and his group. Call him at 589-3864. 09/25/98 Page: A3 CPR FOR THE PRO OFFERED AT RED CROSS Byline: BRIEF EMT students and RNs! The American Red Cross of Indian River County Chapter is offering a course for the professional rescuer beginning on Sept. 26 at the Chapter House from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This course includes CPR for adults, children and infants plus two-man CPR and use of a bag mask; learning the roll in EMS systems, recognizing and response to providing emergency care and learning risk factors. There are no prerequisites required, but a written test (80 percent) and all skills must be passed in order to be certified. The CPR/PR book, a pocket mask and use all materials are included in the $35 fee. Pre-registration is required and taken at the Chapter House, located at 2506 17th Ave., Vero Beach, FL 32960. For more information, call the Red Cross at (561)562-2549. 09/25/98 Page: A11 TENNIS SEASON BEGINS WITH FALL LEAGUE Byline: BRIEF USTA/FL District 15 Junior Team Tennis starts its first fall season. The first national Fall League will start the first week in October and run for 10 weeks. This USA Team Tennis League will have three divisions and the $15 entry fee includes district championship entry and T-shirt and balls. The league will use the same co-ed format as the summer league and players will be placed on teams according to age, ability and area in which they live. Players may enter their own co-ed team as long as all players fit in one of the three divisions. Red Division is for beginning players from 8 to 12. White Division players between 10 and 14 years old. Blue Division: Those boys and girls playing high school, or USTA sanction tournaments who are 14 and over will be in this group. Applications may be picked up at any First National Bank branch office or the local recreation department. For more information you may contact District 15 Tennis Hotline 561-879-6403 or John Danise 561-589-4278. 09/25/98 Page: A11 RED CROSS OFFERS CPR AND FIRST AID COURSES Byline: BRIEF The American Red Cross of Indian River County Chapter is offering courses in adult CPR, infant/child CPR and standard first aid. The adult CPR begins on Oct. 13, 1998, from 6 to 10 p.m. On Oct. 15, from 6 to 10 p.m. the infant/child CPR module will be offered. On Oct. 20, from 6 to 10 p.m. the standard first aid course is given. The adult CPR is a prerequisite for either infant/child CPR or standard first aid. The cost of the course for all three modules is $35 and for two modules $28, which includes the textbook and use of the equipment. For more information please call the American Red Cross at (561)562-2549. 09/25/98 Page: A8 ANNUAL CONVENTION SET FOR OCTOBER Byline: DAVE MCALLISTER Veteran's Voice The Treasure Coast Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association will hold its annual convention at the Radisson Beach Resort, North Hutchison Island, on Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. One of the guest speakers at the convention will be Dr. Glen McCormick, retired (December 1997) as Chief Audiologist, West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. Dr. McCormick is an activist for veterans with hearing disabilities. He believes that some of the VA decisions against veterans with hearing disabilities "defy science and common sense." McCormick's presentation will take place at 9 a.m., Friday, Oct. 30. He also states, "These people are not after money from their government. All they want is the hearing aids. If they have to go out and buy them retail it can cost $2,500 for each ear. The government can buy good ones for $250. That's all they're asking." Veterans with hearing disabilities are urged to attend to learn more about making application for a disability rating. If you have any questions about the convention, please call me at 664-7029. Current VA regulations authorize issuance of hearing aids to veterans with a "0 percent" rating for a service- connected "hearing disability." Veterans with a 10 percent or more disability rating for "any service- connected disability" may be issued hearing aids by the VA when a VA hearing evaluation reveals a hearing impairment. The South Mainland Shuttle is looking for customers. The Shuttle (14-passenger van) is here and ready to roll. This volunteer-operated van is ready to transport persons living in the area between Valkaria southward to Little Hollywood. The van will pick up customers at specific points and for those in need of a home pick-up, the van will also be available. Transportation is by reservation. Destinations will be as far north as Holmes Regional Medical Center area and as far south as the Sebastian Super Wal-Mart area. At present, our volunteer driver force is pretty thin and we are only able to operate the van on Wednesdays and Thursdays. As more of the volunteer drivers return this schedule will be expanded. On Wednesdays the van will travel northbound and on Thursday's southbound. Please call 952-4672 for reservations. Reservations must be made three days in advance. If you would like to volunteer as a van driver, please call me at 664-7029; Dick Higgins at 664-5502 or Mike Cunningham at 664-8364. We have a couple of new friends! I have a couple of quotes for you. First, from "Army Times." Army Times tells us about freshman Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., who is a Marine Corps veteran (3rd Marine Corps Division) who has pledged to "help restore the faith of our military members" by "providing adequate pay, housing and retirement benefits." The Military Coalition, a group of military-related organizations, has invited him to sponsor a bill that would increase retirement benefits for those who have entered the service since 1986. Roberts aides said the senator has made no promises but is interested in seeing the proposal. Army Echoes, the bulletin for the Army retiree, tells us the new DOD health chief, Dr. Sue Bailey, said: "Our service members need to be ready and fit to defend the nation, and they need to know that their families at home are taken care of while they're gone. And we have a huge and growing population of retirees who are looking for - and deserve - quality health care from us." Keep your eyes open! Take good care and God bless. - Dave McAllister is Service Officer for VFW Post 4425, MiccoBarefoot Bay, and serves as project officer for the Barefoot Bay Veterans Council. 09/25/98 Page: A8 CITY NEEDS EXPANDED AMBULANCE SERVICE Byline: RUTH SULLIVAN Mayor's Talk Up-date on the ambulance service for the Barber Street Fire Station. The pressing need for a "transporting" ambulance, with paramedics and an addition to the Barber Street Fire Station, was brought home recently when I received a phone call from Fran Socci, of Sebastian. Her mother, who suffers from chronic heart failure, had an attack. All of the other "back-up" ambulances, including Fellsmere's, were out on calls. The nearest "transporting" ambulance had to be dispatched from Oslo Road, south of Vero Beach. While waiting, the patient was stabilized by the Barber Street paramedic and EMTs, who may have saved her life. Unfortunately, at the Barber Station we only have an ambulance equipped to treat on site, not transport people to the hospital. This would require $25,000 more in emergency equipment for the ambulance and two paramedics on duty. Prior to this September, the station had no ambulance or paramedic at all. It was only after the civic groups attended many county commission meetings pointing out Sebastian's need, that a used, non-transporting ambulance was sent to Barber Station by the county. This is why the Sebastian Property Owners Association, led by President Harry Thomas, The Aware Citizens and Taxpayers Association, led by President Tut Connelly, The Indian River Property Owners Association led by President Sullivan and the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, led by President Ed Moore, have joined together to raise money for these emergency services. These civic associations and the local Chamber of Commerce will continue to work toward getting the fire station addition to house the necessary larger sleeping quarters and a larger kitchen for future full-time paramedic service. I spoke with Joe Baird, Indian River County budget director, concerning the county budget to finance these needs. He said the addition is not in next year's budget, so far, and did not know if the station addition would be built next year. Baird noted that sales tax can cover building construction and emergency vehicles, but not operating costs, which represent the heaviest financial obligation. Douglas Wright, Indian River County Emergency Service director, said the county sent out and received Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for design and architects for Station No. 8 (Barber Street) and Station No. 11 (Orchid Island). There are three architects on the short list for consideration by the county Sept. 29. On Oct. 6 the county commission is expected to negotiate a contract. Wright said when the design plans are completed, by about the spring of 1999, it would take about five more months to build the addition. So we are looking at the middle of 1999 or later for the building and later yet, or no earlier than 2000-2001 for the badly needed paramedic service. This is why volunteers who care about Sebastian's health services have banded together to raise funds to hurry up the process. Remember, up until this September Sebastian did not even have a non-transporting ambulance west of the rail road tracks, where 12,000 of our people live. So we have succeeded in getting county recognition of our emergency medical needs. But we cannot wait two more years. Our population if growing rapidly. We have 25 to 30 percent senior citizens, with their higher number of health problems. Younger families are moving in and children always require more emergency medical attention. With these two age groups making up a large percent of our population, we believe we must act as soon as possible. For this reason local fraternal organizations, businesses and schools will be asked to hold fund raisers or do anything they can to see our community gets the emergency help we need. Two fund raisers are in the works already. Councilman Chuck Neuberger is working with Moore to organize an October golf outing and Fred Wininger is working with Skydive Sebastian and the Indian River School District to hold a skydiving show at the high school stadium. Entrance fees will go toward Sebastian's ambulance service needs. We are aware this is the financial responsibility of the county. At the same time, the county has to budget for these expenditures as their tax dollars allow and we understand this. The county upgraded Sebastian services this month. We believe that a community-wide effort to improve emergency supplies, equipment, etc., will demonstrate to our county commissioners how serious our need is, so we can receive first consideration in their budget next year. 09/25/98 Page: A10 LOCAL CALENDAR Sunday, Sept. 27 Sebastian BINGO, American Legion 189, 12:45 p.m., sponsored by Ladies Auxiliary, post home, Louisiana Avenue and County Road 512 BINGO, 6:30 p.m., Sebastian River Moose Hall, Lodge 1767, U.S. 1. Progressive Bonanza. Doors open at 4:30 BREAKFAST, 8 a.m.-noon, Knights of Columbus Hall, 7701 Gibson St., sponsored by K of C; full menu BREAKFAST, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 10210, 815 Louisiana Ave. Public welcome. Roseland ALANON New Beginnings Group, 10 a.m., Donald MacDonald Park, Roseland Road AA, 8 p.m., Roseland Methodist Church, Roseland Road AA, 6:30 p.m., St. Elizabeth's Church, Biscayne and County Road 512 Monday, Sept. 28 Sebastian SENIOR CITIZENS' MEAL, 11:15 a.m., Senior Center, 815 Davis St. Reservations required. Call 388-5889 BINGO, Sebastian Area Civic Association, 6:45 p.m., Sebastian Community Center SEBASTIAN RIVER BRIDGE CLUB, 1 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 1405 Louisiana Ave. Partners available TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY, 1 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1029 Main St. AA 12 Step Group, 8 p.m., St. Sebastian Catholic Church, 13075 U.S. 1 AA STEP MEETING, 5:30 p.m., Sebastian United Methodist, 1029 W. Main St. SONS OF THE CONFEDERACY VETERANS, Florida Cavalry, Camp 1680, 6 p.m., Mrs. B's, State Road 60 STEPPING STONE QUILTERS, 12:30 p.m., Senior Center, 815 Davis St. SEBASTIAN RIVER SHRINE CLUB, noon, Italian-American Club, State Road 512 MOMMY AND ME, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Community Center, North Central Avenue CO-ED AEROBIC WORKOUT, 9-10 a.m., Community Center, 1805 North Central Ave. OLD BOYS SOFTBALL, 9 a.m., Barber Street Sports Complex PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, 7:30 p.m., North Indian River County Library, 1001 County Road 512 SEBASTIAN WOMAN'S CLUB, 7 p.m., 952 U.S. 1 Barefoot Bay TWIRLERS SQUARE DANCE CLUB, intermediate round dance, 7:15-7:45 p.m.; square and round dance, 8-10, Barefoot Bay Community Center, Building A TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY, Chapter 470, noon, St. Luke's Parish Hall, 5055 Micco Road Fellsmere AA, 8 p.m., Fellsmere Grange Hall Wabasso AA, 7:30 p.m., Indian River Men's Group (men only), Wabasso Women's Club, 83rd Street and Old Dixie Tuesday, Sept. 29 Sebastian SENIOR CITIZENS' MEAL, 11:15 a.m., Senior Center, 815 Davis St. Reservations required. Call 388-5889 BINGO, 6:45 p.m., American Legion Post 189, Louisiana Avenue and County Road 512 COMMUNITY DANCE, 1-4 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 1405 N. Louisiana Ave. Music by Sebastian River Band; $3 SENIOR AEROBICS, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Community Center, North Central Avenue GENTLE YOGA, 10:45-11:45 a.m., Community Center, North Central Avenue GYMNASTICS: beginning, 4-5 p.m.; intermediate, 5-6, Community Center CO-ED AEROBIC WORKOUT, 7-8 p.m., Community Center TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY, Chapter 473, 7 p.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars, Louisiana Avenue SEBASTIAN RIVER ART CLUB, 12:30-3:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, Roseland Road AA, noon, Drop Anchor Group Sebastian Yacht Club, 820 Indian River Drive AA Freedom Group, 8 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1029 Main St. AA Discussion Group, 8 p.m., Yacht Club, 820 Indian River Drive AL-ANON/AL-ATEEN, 8 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1029 Main St. TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY, Chapter 473, 7 p.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars, Louisiana Avenue VNA HEALTH CARE ON WHEELS, 1-8 p.m., Beall's Outlet, 11640 U.S. 1 PASTA NIGHT, 5-7 p.m., Italian-American Club, 250 Fellsmere Road; $4.50, public welcome LINE-DANCE CLASSES, American Legion, Post 189, Louisiana Avenue and County Road 512: Intermediate, 9:30-10:45 a.m.; beginners, 11-noon Fellsmere SENIOR AEROBICS, 9-10 a.m., Community Church, North Hickory Street, free AA Spanish-speaking class, 8 p.m., Grange Hall Wabasso VNA HEALTH CARE ON WHEELS, 8:30 a.m. to noon, State Road 510 and U.S. 1 COFFEE HOUR, 10 a.m., Grace United Methodist Church, 50th Ave. Winter Beach OVERCOMERS - Christian 12-step group, 7:30 p.m., New Hope Ministries, 4425 71st St. Roseland SEBASTIAN RIVER ART CLUB, 12:30-3:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, Roseland Road UNITED METHODIST BOY SCOUT TROOP 555, 7 p.m., Church Hall, Roseland Road OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS, 7-8 P.M., United Methodist Church, 12962 Roseland Road Wednesday, Sept. 30 Barefoot Bay BINGO, doors open 5:30 p.m.; games at 7; St. Luke's Church, 5055 Micco Road HOMEMAKERS CLUB: 8:15 a.m., aerobics; 9:30, workshop, Building A AA open discussion, 8 p.m., building C&D Sebastian SENIOR CITIZENS' MEAL, 11:15 a.m., Senior Center, 815 Davis St. Reservations required. Call 388-5889 RSVP HAPPY WANDERERS BAND, 1-3 p.m. rehearsal, Masonic Lodge, 1715 N. Central Ave. CO-ED AEROBICS, 9-10 a.m.; senior aerobics, 10:30-11:30, Community Center BINGO, noon, Elks Lodge 2714, 731 S. Fleming St. AA, 8 p.m., Sebastian Yacht Club, 820 Indian River Drive HEADACHE SUPPORT GROUP, 7 p.m., dining room, Sebastian River Medical Center PINOCHLE, noon to 3 p.m., Senior Center, 815 Davis St. CODEPENDENT GROUP, 7:30-9 p.m., Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1301 Fellsmere Road OLD BOYS SOFTBALL, 9 a.m., Barber Street Sports Complex INTERNATIONAL SKAT-CLUB, 4:30 p.m., Hurricane Harbor restaurant, 1540 Indian River Drive BASIC YOGA, 6:15-7:45 p.m., Community Center, North Central Avenue Fellsmere KARATE, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Fellsmere Elementary School, sponsored by Recreation Department Grant VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, 7 p.m., fire station Roseland SEBASTIAN RIVER ART CLUB, 1 p.m., United Methodist Church Wabasso BOY SCOUTS, TROOP 598, 7 p.m., Grace United Methodist Church AA INDIAN RIVER MEN'S STEP meeting, 7:30 p.m., Wabasso Women's Club, 83rd St. and Old Dixie Thursday, Oct. 1 Barefoot Bay SQUARE DANCE, 12:45 p.m., mainstream dancing with Spinners Club, Barefoot Bay Community Center SMOOTHIES BALLROOM DANCE, 7:30-10:30 p.m., Building A Sebastian SENIOR CITIZENS' MEAL, 11:15 a.m., Senior Center, 815 Davis St. Reservations required. Call 388-5889 BINGO, Elks Lodge 2714, 7 p.m., 731 S. Fleming St. BINGO, doors open 5 p.m.; early bird, 6:30, 7700 Gibson St., sponsored by Knights of Columbus TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY, FL 641, 8:30 a.m., VFW, 815 Louisiana Ave. SWING-ALONG, SING-ALONG, 3 p.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars, 815 Louisiana Ave. SENIOR AEROBICS, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Community Center GYMINNY CRICKETS, 3:15-4 p.m., Community Center GYMNASTICS: beginners, 4:15-5:30 p.m.; intermediate, 5:30-6:45, Community Center CO-ED AEROBIC WORKOUT, 7-8 p.m., Community Center AA 5:32 meeting, 5:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1029 Main St. AA, 8 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1029 Main St. ROTARY CLUB, 12:15 p.m., 1540 Indian River Drive Fellsmere SENIOR AEROBICS, 9-10 a.m., Community Church, North Hickory Street, free AA Spanish-speaking class, 8 p.m., Grange Hall Grant GRANT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT training meeting, 7 p.m., fire station Micco AA, 6:30 and 8 p.m., First Baptist Church, 9390 Central Ave. AL-ANON, 6:30 p.m., Baptist Church, 9390 Central Ave. AL-ATEEN, 6:30 p.m., Baptist Church, 9390 Central Ave. Roseland AA BIG BOOK MEETING, 8 p.m., Donald MacDonald Park Friday, Oct. 2 Barefoot Bay ARTIST'S GUILD, 1 p.m., Building D&E PINOCHLE CLUB, 6:45 p.m., Building C BINGO, 7 p.m., doors open 5 p.m., Building A, sponsored by Kiwanis BRIDGE, 1 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 1405 Louisiana Ave. TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY, Chapter 456, 7:30-9:30 a.m., Building E Sebastian SENIOR CITIZENS' MEAL, 11:15 a.m., Senior Center, 815 Davis St. Reservations required. Call 388-5889 SEBASTIAN RIVER BRIDGE CLUB, 1 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 1405 Louisiana Ave. Partners available BINGO, 1 p.m., Senior Center, 815 Davis St. BINGO, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 10210, 6:30 p.m., 815 Louisiana Avenue and County Road 512 CO-ED AEROBICS, 9-10 a.m., Community Center SENIOR AEROBICS, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Community Center AA, 8:30 p.m., Sebastian Yacht Club, 820 Indian River Drive ITALIAN-AMERICAN CLUB Fish/Pasta Night, 5-8 p.m., 250 Fellsmere Road LINE DANCING, 10 a.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 10210, 815 Louisiana Ave.; $2. VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION blood pressure/blood sugar clinic, 9 a.m. to noon, Wal-Mart, 2001 U.S. 1 LIONS CLUB, noon, Waterway Cafe WUESTHOFF BREVARD HOMECARE blood pressure screenings, 9 a.m. to noon, Publix, 13435 U.S. 1 Roseland AA Women's Group, 10:30 a.m., United Methodist Church, 12962 Roseland Road SINGLES ON THE GO game night, 7-9 p.m., Methodist Church, County Road 505 AA open speakers meeting, 8 p.m., Community Center, Bay Street Saturday, Oct. 3 Sebastian BINGO, doors open 5 p.m.; early bird, 6:30, 7700 Gibson St., sponsored by Knights of Columbus SUBMARINE VETERANS INC., 2 p.m., American Legion, Louisiana Avenue AA, 8 p.m., St. Sebastian Catholic Church, 13075 U.S. 1 Grant AMERICAN BIKERS AIMED TOWARD EDUCATION, 7-9 p.m., River Pub 09/25/98 Page: A2 Caption: (B/W) Photo by Mike Walton/The Sun: Mike Walton Dennis and Theresa Fink, owners of the Eagle's Nest restaurant located at the Sebastian city golf course, discuss their business while relaxing at a table there. The enlarged restaurant is much brighter and roomier than the previous business. ENLARGED EAGLE'S NEST ATTRACTS GROWING CLIENTELE Byline: By JERRY MEKLER Of the Sun Business Profile You would never know it was there unless you play golf at the Sebastian Municipal golf course, but for eight years now golfers have known about the Eagle's Nest, one of Sebastian's best-kept restaurant secrets. A good thing is really hard to keep secret for too long and in recent years people from all over the area - many of whom are non-golfers - have discovered this cozy place nestled almost invisibly around the 18th green of the golf course, where you can have an excellent meal in pleasant surroundings, at a low price. The Eagle's Nest started as a labor of love for its owners, Dennis and Theresa Fink, a young couple from New Jersey who fell in love with Sebastian after visiting the area about 10 years ago. Both had strong backgrounds in restaurant management in the New Jersey area and both had decided that Florida was the place for them to build their future together. After turning down a couple of possible restaurant situations, they heard that the city of Sebastian was looking to divest itself of the small snack bar service it had at the golf course, and offered the Finks the opportunity to run a restaurant and cocktail lounge on the premises. First opened in 1991, the Eagle's Nest had about 12 tables and 48 seats. It's limited menu was ideal for the golfer after a round or at the ninth hole, and its relaxed pub-like atmosphere soon attracted a loyal following. Because of the word of mouth that followed, the restaurant's popularity zoomed, and with it the need for a larger, more eclectic room which would appeal to everyone. Construction began last February on the new Eagle's Nest that called for almost triple the seating and double the square footage of the original. Completed in July, the restaurant now seats more than 150 patrons in a cool, serene setting offset by nature's greenery and foliage outside. The interior decor seems to image the outdoors with its forest green walls, warm cane and rattan seats and colorful earthy carpeting. Even the attractive wait staff are uniformed in forest green shirts and tan shorts to blend in with the environment inside and out. Along with the new look and $150,000 expansion, the Finks introduced a unique concept at the Eagle's Nest. In addition to a number of new items on the enlarged and modified menu, special events such as Monday night football and Karaoke Night, will become part of the newly refurbished restaurant's personality. Live entertainment will be featured virtually every night of the week, Dennis Fink announced. His lineup for the coming year includes such well known groups as "Deja Vu," who will be featured on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights for listening and dancing. In addition, piano entertainer and song stylist Sammie Angel will entertain during the week along with guitarist George Clarke. Fink announced that each of these special nights will feature substantially reduced drinks at Happy Hour from 4-6 p.m. For example, he said that well drinks will be $2 and draft beer, only $1. In addition there will be a deduction of 50 cents for all mixed cocktails. The new menu features specials for breakfast, lunch and dinner and will reflect the most popular requests from its patrons. Fink wanted to emphasize that popular house specialties such as prime rib au jus and twin lobster tails will remain on the menu at virtually the same prices. The dinner menu highlights a number of America's favorite dishes. Steaks, ribs, veal, chicken, seafood and pasta are featured on a daily basis and pizza is a new addition, according to Fink, with the installation of pizza ovens for the first time. The menu is modestly priced with most items under $10. The kitchen is presided over by Theresa Fink who cooks many of the featured dishes including her famous prime rib, and her award-winning clam chowder. The Finks' 17-year-old daughter Dawn also occasionally helps out. The lunch menu lists more than 50 items and it includes all the classic "deli" sandwiches as well as nine different types of burgers and several salads and soup combos. Breakfasts feature a variety of house specialty omelets as well as dozens of pancake choices, eggs and cereals. The Eagle's Nest staff, which numbers about 20, include waiters, chefs and kitchen help. Two members of the staff, manager Lori Oltoff and a waitress, Denise Lupo, have been with the restaurant for more than five years. The Eagle's Nest is open seven days a week, all day long beginning with breakfast at 6:30 a.m. There is a nonsmoking section in a corner of the restaurant. All major credit cards are accepted. When asked what he sees for the future of his restaurant, Dennis Fink said: "I just want to be able to provide a lovely setting with good food at reasonable prices. I think Sebastian deserves such a place." 09/25/98 Page: A2 Caption: (B/W) Photo by Linda Rothstein/The Sun: Linda Rothstein A life-long resident of Sebastian, 17-year-old Laksman Frank recently had a short story published in the national best-selling book, "Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul." STUDENT ENJOYS HIS CREATIVE TALENTS Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun A Moment In The Sun Seventeen-year-old Laksman Frank has been in the limelight before. For two consecutive years, he designed the national AIDS quilt poster and this year created a poster for the international World Tibet Day. He knew his posters were being displayed around the world and once, he even saw his most recent AIDS quilt poster in the window of a local business. "My poster was in the window and I was like, 'How did that get here?' " Frank said. "The World Tibet Day is international and the Dalai Lama has one ... and he really loved it." But when he entered a contest to have a short story published in "Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul," Frank had no idea how popular and well-known the best-selling series is. He was just interested in the $300 cash prize as he saves for college. "It was just a contest that I entered, I had never read the book before, I didn't really know about the book," Frank said. "It was just some money that I thought I'd like to win." His story, titled "Do You Have Your Wallet?" was selected from 7,800 entries for inclusion in the book. His is one of just 44 stories and forwards in the book authored by children, the other 71 are by celebrities. "I still didn't know what was going on, I wasn't sure what 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' was," Frank said. "I was impressed with myself, I was happy I was getting the money and I'm published, it looks good on my resume." During a recent summer vacation, when he visited numerous cities around the country, Laksman was surprised to find that the inspirational book was prominently displayed in every book store he visited. When it was released on July 31, "Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul" debuted at No. 43 on the USA Today bestseller list and skyrocketed to No. 8 in its second week. "It was exciting every time I saw it," Frank said. "I was like, 'Wow, people actually know about this book.' " Frank's story recounts when he lost his wallet at the North Indian River County Library. When he went back the next day, it was gone and he figured he'd never see it again. A month later, he received a package in the mail containing the wallet, with nothing missing, a note and a Christ medallion. The note asked Frank to keep the medal with him at all times, so the angel who had been watching over him when he lost his wallet would continue to guide him. There was no return address to where Frank could send his thanks. So Frank was inspired to write the story in hopes the person who returned his wallet might see it and know of his thanks, while showing others that you can sometimes still count upon the kindness of strangers. "I thought this would be a nice way to thank them," Frank said. "I hope they saw it." While Frank has been an artist since he could clutch a crayon, he only began writing a year ago in a journalism class and for the Press Journal's School Zone. He sees writing as another medium through which to be creative, just like drawing and painting. "I enjoy a lot of arts," Frank said. "Writing is just another way of expressing myself." Most of his recent writing has been filling out scholarship applications, answering tedious questions like "Why do you think an athlete needs to be three-dimensional?" But Frank believes being an artist gives him a unique perspective that allows him to tackle mundane questions in creative ways. "You try to be different and set yourself apart from everyone else in some way," Frank said. "I think I can do that with writing." A senior at the River School, Frank hopes to study art and history at Brown University and enter a profession where he will be able to utilize his talents with the brush and pen. Frank signed copies of "Chicken Soup for the Soul" at the Children's Store at the Vero Beach Book Center on Saturday, Sept. 19, as part of an attempt to set a Guinness Book of World Records record for the biggest book signing event in history. The money raised during the event, where contributing authors to the book signed at outlets all over the country, will be donated to eight children's charities. Birthdate: Dec. 26, 1980 Birthplace: Vero Beach, Fla. Education: The River School, Sebastian, Fla. Family: father, Cristos; mother, Kashima; sister, Jaya; sister, Ganga. The best part of writing is: being able to express ideas in a creative way. What I like the least about writing is: it takes me a long time to get the right words. The people I admire the most are: my parents. The most recent movie I saw in a theater was: "54". The book I'd recommend everyone to read is: "Beloved" by Toni Morrison. My favorite food is: sushi. If I were going on a trip to the moon, I would take along: a pen and paper. When I was growing up, I always wanted to be: an athlete. The person I would most like to meet is: John Travolta. My proudest moment is: when I designed the AIDS quilt poster and it was made into a T-shirt. My favorite sports team is: the New York Yankees. My favorite television show is: "Seinfeld." On my last vacation, I visited: Brown University in Providence, R.I. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: push the snooze button. The type of music I enjoy the most is: all music except country. People who know me the best know: I'm always up for fun. The most exciting time in my life is: right now. 09/25/98 Page: A12 WEEK IN REVIEW Former Sebastian Mayor Harris dies L. Gene Harris saw himself as a quiet, soft-spoken man. But the people who worked with Harris, Sebastian's last mayor before the city changed to a council/city manager form of government, remembered someone who had a grand vision for the city he loved. Harris died at his home Wednesday afternoon of natural causes. He was 70. Assistant City Clerk Sally Maio, one of the few remaining city employees who worked with the former mayor, said she still has a photograph of Harris dressed as an American Indian chief at an office Halloween party. "He'd get right into it with us," Maio said. "Gene was a very nice man." Harris was mayor when the City Council hired City Clerk Kay O'Halloran. "He always was of good spirits," she said. "He was always up. He was never a prophet of doom." Peter Vallone, a council member during Harris' tenure, said the former mayor had a vision for Sebastian, to grow from a small town into a city, but in the proper way. "He had his heart in the right place for the city of Sebastian," he said. "It's a loss for the community." And Pat Lambert, who regularly attended City Council meetings when Harris was mayor, remembered a man who always had an ear for citizen input. "He would listen," she said. "I always found him to be a nice man, and he was a very easy person to talk to." Harris was elected mayor in March 1986, working an average of 60 hours a week for an annual salary of $9,600. He ran for office on the platform the city should pay the mayor more. While in office, Harris despised what he called political pettiness in a city known for its infighting during public meetings. But by the end of his two-year term, a majority of voters altered the City Charter to hire a full-time city manager under an elected council of five. Harris left office that year, in 1988, but remained in Sebastian. A deeply religious, soft-spoken man, Harris did not see himself as flashy or bombastic. "I don't really have much to say. I just get the job done," he told a reporter for the Sebastian Sun in an unpublished interview earlier this year. "I have had a good life. I don't think that I would change a thing." Three in running for SRHS principal Two local candidates and a school administrator from one of the largest school districts in the state are vying to become principal of Sebastian River High School. Interviews will be conducted Thursday morning with all three people who applied for the job. Schools Superintendent Roger Dearing said he will take a recommendation to the Oct. 13 Indian River County School Board meeting. The job search has been delayed because applicant Peggy Jones, principal of Gifford Middle School, has been out of town because of a serious illness of a family member, Dearing said. SRHS Principal Fran Adams, who was tapped as the new assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for the district, was to leave her job on Oct. 1 but has agreed to split her time between the two jobs until the high school has a full-time principal. The applicants are as follows: Jones, who is entering her seventh year as principal of Gifford Middle School and the former Gifford Middle Six. She began her career in Indian River County 18 years ago as a teacher at the former Vero Beach Junior High School. The Vero Beach resident was promoted to dean of Vero Beach High School in 1985 where she stayed until 1988, when she went back to the junior high school as assistant principal. She was just awarded her doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University in June. Jones, 45, who earlier applied for the assistant superintendent of curriculum job, said she loves where she is right now. "But I just think I'm ready for the next step," she said. Michael Thorne, who has been assistant principal at Vero Beach High School since 1995. Thorne, who could not be reached for comment, is working in his first job in the district. The 41-year-old Vero Beach resident was assistant principal at Stonewall Jackson Middle School in Orlando 1994-1995 and assistant principal of Apopka Memorial Middle School in Apopka 1992-1994. For five months in 1991, Thorne served as dean of students at Rosewood Middle School in Orlando. Thorne earned his master's degree in administration at Nova University in Fort Lauderdale. Donald DeLucas, who is the assistant principal of Hialeah Middle Community School in Hialeah since 1994. Hialeah Middle School is a school of 1,450 students in the Dade County Public School System. DeLucas, 46, also was assistant principal 1990-1994 at Carol City Middle School in Miami and spent the late 1970s and 1980s teaching at Westview Middle School in Miami and Palm Springs Junior High School. DeLucas said he was searching for a leadership role at a school in which he can stand out instead of being a number or a nonentity in a massive school system. Medical center unit breaks ground After two years of planning, Sebastian River Medical Center celebrated with a groundbreaking Thursday for a new $5 million diagnostic facility. "We're coming out of the ground, finally," Stephen L. Midkiff, executive director of SRMC, said. Hospital officials displaced dirt with gold-colored shovels. They drank punch and ate carrot cake. They promised a state-of- the-art diagnostic center. Mammograms will be speedier, and women may get their results back in hours, Midkiff said. Doctors will be able to look inside the heart to see if a valve is closed, he said. "All of the equipment will be the very latest and the very best," Dr. Peter Joyce, the director of the radiology department, said. "It will be a very aesthetically pleasing, very relaxing environment." "I've been here 20 years. I've seen (SRMC) grow to meet the needs of the community. This is certainly a giant leap forward," Joyce said. The addition will be 14,000 square feet. It will be built on a 22-acre site just north of the emergency room. It is expected to be finished by summer 1999. Local officials, including Sebastian River High School Principal Fran Adams, Indian River County Commissioner and SRMC Trustee Fran Adams, Sebastian City Manager Tom Frame and Police Chief Randy White were on hand to help the hospital celebrate. Midkiff said the new facility follows the trend of hospitals offering more outpatient care. "That shift in business is partly the result of this new technology," he said. "This will be a much-needed facility." The addition to the hospital is not intended to attract more patients, he said. Rather, the hospital will keep pace with its current patient load, according to Midkiff. The construction is being funded by the hospital's parent company, Health Management Associates, based in Naples. HMA owns 32 hospitals in the Southeastern United States. Local Haunted House needs volunteer ghouls Calling all witches, vampires and mad scientists. Casting call for the Fellsmere Haunted House will be 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, and Oct. 2 at Fellsmere City Council chambers. Actors should bring costumes, props and masks if they have them, Charles Bloom, the Haunted House director, said. Roles are wide open. "We need an Igor, swamp people," he said. "We need lots of guillotine (victims). It's a one-time role." Organizers are the ones feeling the pressure now. Opening night, Oct. 16, is less than a month away. There is a lot of work to be done, Bloom said. The Fellsmere Estates Building, the site of the Haunted House, has a leaky roof. Actors will be asked whether they can help with construction of sets and props. The house will have a dungeon/torture chamber, a spooks' maze and a vampire's mausoleum. Cast members must be able to work the full three hours each night for which they sign up. The Haunted House schedule is 7-10 p.m. Oct. 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31 and from 2-5 p.m. on Oct. 25. All proceeds from the Haunted House will go toward the renovation of the old Fellsmere School building. Businesses that help sponsor the haunted house will be recognized with their own tombstones, Bloom said. 09/25/98 Page: A12 Caption: (B/W) Photo ED MOORE TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE FOOD TABLE Byline: Sebastian Sun Photo by Mike Walton Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce President Ed Moore takes advantage of the food table Thursday, Sept. 17, during the chamber's Business and Pleasure gathering held this month at the Sebastian Bureau of the Press Journal. Stuart's Bistro of Micco catered the affair and participants had an opportunity to learn how their advertising is produced and tour the building. 09/25/98 Page: A4 Caption: (B/W) Photo: Francis Miller works on one of the water colors that is part of his one-man show now on display at the North Indian River County Library. CROSSING GUARDPAINTS PICTURE OF BUSY LIFESTYLE Byline: By BILL VALYO For the Sun Neighbors He stands on the corner of County Road 512 and Delaware Avenue as a beacon for children crossing the busy intersection on the way to and from school. Watching Francis H. Miller do his duty as crossing guard for the Sebastian Police Department, you just know looking at him while he works that he is a no-nonsense, diligent person who takes his job as guardian of children very seriously. He does not like all the speeding cars that dot by him each day and says that "I'm glad there is such a large fine that drivers must pay when they break the law." According to city officials, the fine could reach a hefty $500 or more. This avocation of the Park Place resident keeps him busy five days a week during the school year, but that leaves him plenty of time for another diversion which takes up most of his day. You see the 75-year-young former commercial artist is a watercolor painter and he is having his third annual one-man show the entire month of October at the North County Library on C.R. 512 just a stone's throw away from his crossing guard station. His water color artistry consists mainly of scenes from places that he's travelled and this year's show will depict six new paintings from Ireland. He also does paintings of dogs, "living or deceased" he interjects. "This time of the year painting dogs for Christmas gifts is most popular." Also featured in his show this year will be a scene of a fort in Halifax, Nova Scotia, called "The Citadel," two paintings of Cedar Key in Florida and a pencil drawing of Peggy's Cove, the scene of that tragic Swiss Air plane disaster recently. Miller still maintains a stained glass studio in Hereford, Md., that his son Francis Jr. manages. The studio has been in operation for 50 years and was started by his father in Baltimore. His studio today consists of a well-lit porch at Park Place, where he and his wife Lucille have been residents for 10 years. They have four children. He says that it takes him 12-15 hours to do a water color if it's extensive but he can do paintings from small pictures that take as little as three to four hours. Miller is also proud of his unique style of bordering his pictures. He says that "most people double mat them. I paint a border around the pictures on the mat. It was something I picked up at one of the museums that I have visited." Somehow the Sebastian resident still manages to make time for another passion of his. He plays trumpet in local bands around the area. This talent began at a very young age when Francis took lessons one year and then formed a band and rented a hall so that the group could play at their own dances. To top it off, he had the mothers of the band members act as chaperones. He found big band orchestrations such as Glenn Miller and the Dorseys for 75 cents and began his music career. He joined the Navy in 1942, one year after Pearl Harbor, where he played in marching bands and was stationed on the USS Savo, an aircraft carrier named after an island in the Phillipines that fell to the Japanese early in the war. In addition to all this Navy experience, Miller has played recently with the Jay Miller band who showed off their talents at the Dodgertown Holman Stadium and also the popular Dave Letts Orchestra who play the local social scene on the Treasure Coast. It is the watercolors that Francis H. Miller Sr. is most proud of however. He is excited about his upcoming one-man show and is appreciative of the support that he has had in his past shows. The show is sponsored by the library and is free of charge. 09/25/98 Page: A6 BROWN BAG LUNCH SPEAKER SCHEDULED Byline: BRIEF "Eco-Tourism" will be the talk Friday, Sept. 25, by George Meguiar, Nature Heritage committee of Brevard County chairman. Meguiar will talk about the emerging eco-tourism industry that highlights and enhances Florida's exceptional natural resources. Brown Bag Lunch is a weekly series of speakers hosted by the Marine Resources Council at Fisherman's Landing Park on U.S. 1 in Grant every Friday at noon. The public is invited to bring lunch and enjoy a peaceful hour beside the lagoon as you learn more about the community and environment. Lunches are informal and interactive, so bring your questions too! For more information, contact Cheryl Bruns at MRC at (407)504-4500 or fax (407)504-4488. 09/25/98 Page: A7 ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER SALUTES PARIS "Paris ... When It Sizzles" is the theme for this year's Environmental Learning Center fall fund-raising party to be held on Oct. 10 at Orchid Island Beach Club. For the third year in a row, the grand sponsor is Sebastian River Medical Center. This year, Northern Trust Bank is the host and sponsor of the entertainment tent. The Environmental Learning Center is a not-for-profit nature center, located on Wabasso Island, whose goal is to educate people about our natural resources. For the past three years, the highly successful Environmental Learning Center's fall fund-raisers have been sell-outs, the proceeds have benefited the ELC's numerous educational programs. Orchid Island Beach Club will be transformed by the event committee and Orchid staff into the magical city of Paris, featuring decor, entertainment, couture designs, cuisine, cocktails and champagne reflecting the tastes, beauty and culture of the "City of Light." An 18-foot Eiffel Tower will soar in the dining room. Fashion models, can-can dancers, strolling musicians, even "Inspector Clouseau" will add to the French ambiance. Couture designs by Cooper & Company, presented by Christi Knight Fashion Productions will be featured in vignettes throughout the party. Orchid's Chef Jose Faria presents his exquisite French cuisine buffet style, to enable samplings of the many delicacies specially created with a Parisian inspiration. The Chrisdale Dancers will perform the can-can under the direction of Chris Sexton and the Fred Astaire Dance Studio professionals will demonstrate the latest "Swing" dance craze in the entertainment tent, which is sponsored by Northern Trust Bank. A variety of performances and types of music will be on hand, and as the evening heats-up, the tent will turn into the Euro Disco. Orchid Island Beach Club's lounge provides the background for the "Eco Bistro," a cozy Parisian Cafe where recordings by famous French singers will provide a romantic atmosphere. The second floor main dining room housing the 18-foot illuminated Eiffel Tower showcases the silent auction, and features a quartet and singer performing French and popular favorites. Orchid's breezeway will be filled with the VIP sponsor and grand patron reserved seating. This year's silent auction has received outstanding and unusual items. Over 60 retailers, designers, merchants, corporations and donors are participating in the Silent Auction this year. The committee is chaired by Kathryn Collins, honorary chairman is Laurie Kaneb. Stephanie MacWilliam and Keith Pelan are co- chairmen of the event. Members include Natalie Holtom Brown, Allison Campione, Liz Carvel, Tom and Joya Celli, Cindy Duncan, Joan Edwards, Marge Ercoli, Barbara Ferrell, Mikki Hargrave, Christi Knight, Tom and Rhonda Lowe, Carl and Donna Miller, Scanlan Buckley, Rosie Schulman, Susan Shinaberry, Lena Strumas, Maureen Woodward and Mary Ann Worsham. The Treasure Coast Pilot Club assisted with mailings and event staffing. Tickets to "Paris ... When It Sizzles" are $95 and $150 for grand patrons. The event sells out quickly, please call the ELC at 589-5050 for availability. 09/25/98 Page: A11 TENNIS LEAGUE RETURNS TO SEBASTIAN SATURDAYS Byline: BRIEF National Junior Tennis League returns to Sebastian Saturday mornings at Sebastian River High School. The John Malek Insurance League will run for 10 weeks and is for beginning boys and girls ages 8-14. This entry level program allows everyone play and brings fun and team spirit to learning and starts the pathway to USTA Junior Team Tennis. This 10-week NJTL program costs $20 and includes T-shirt, USTA skills test and use of rackets for those who need one. Registration will be Saturday, Sept. 26, at 11 a.m. at Sebastian River High School and play starts Oct. 10. October will also be the start of a USTA Player Development Program for tournament and high school players. LET (Local Excellence Training) will be offered for two levels at Sebastian River High School. The White Group (pre high school) will meet Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:30 and Wed. 3:30 to 5:30. The Blue Group (high school students) will meet Wednesdays 1 to 3 and Thursdays 3 to 4:30. For information on these programs contact John Danise at 589-4278 or stop by John Malek Insurance or the Sebastian Library for NJTL applications. 09/25/98 Page: B10 OBITUARIES Thomas Shearer Thomas Lyle Greenwood Shearer Jr., 55, of Sebastian, died unexpectedly Sept. 11, 1998, at his residence. He was born March 16, 1943, in Coatesville, Pa., and moved to Sebastian in 1990 from Chicago. Mr. Shearer was a laborer in the dairy industry. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. Surviving are three daughters, Teresa Shearer and Kimberly Green, both of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., and Tracy King, of Winter Haven; his father, Thomas Lyle Greenwood Shearer Sr., of Palm Bay; his mother, Dorothy Shearer, of Sebastian; three brothers, David Shearer and Bobby Shearer, both of Sebastian, and Richard Shearer, of Mesa, Ariz.; two sisters, Sherry Messick, of Daytona Beach, and Bonnie Mallory, of Sebastian; and seven grandchildren. At the family's request, a private memorial service will be held. Inurnment will be at a later date at Sebastian Cemetery, Sebastian. Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian, is in charge of arrangements. Robert Lash Robert Earl Lash, 75, of Barefoot Bay, died Sept. 15, 1998, at his residence after a prolonged illness. He was born Nov. 11, 1922, in Clarksburg, W.Va., and moved to Barefoot Bay in 1979 from Pine Hill, N.J. Mr. Lash was a crane operator at Westinghouse Corp., Lester, Pa., for 40 years. He was a member of the United Electrical Workers Local No. 107, Lester. A former member of the National Rifle Association. Surviving are his wife of 50 years, Grace; three sons, Richard Martin Lash, of Barefoot Bay, Robert Earl Lash III, of Galveston, Texas, and James Henry Lash, of Blackwood, N.J.; two sisters, Joan Mammarella, of Valparaiso, Ind., and Rebecca Basham, of Albuquerque, N.M.; and two grandchildren. A memorial service was Friday, Sept. 19, at Strunk Funeral Home chapel, Sebastian, with the Rev. Lucien Duquette officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Micco Fire and Rescue Department, 301 Barefoot Blvd., Micco, Fla. 32976, in Mr. Lash's memory. Wilfred Finch Wilfred Finch, 75, of Barefoot Bay, died Sept. 16, 1998, at his residence after a prolonged illness. He was born Oct. 16, 1922, in Windham, N.Y., and moved to Barefoot Bay 10 years ago from Catskill, N.Y. Mr. Finch was self-employed as a general contractor as Bill Finch General Contracting, prior to retirement. He was a Merchant Marine veteran of World War II. He was a member of the Elks Club, Palm Bay Lodge No. 2766 and Sebastian River Moose Lodge No. 1767, Sebastian. Surviving are his wife, Edith; two daughters, Sheila Riley Stamp, of Tegakay, S.C., and Sharon Finch, of Slingerlands, N.Y.; three stepsons, Leonard Franco, of Winter Springs, and James Franco and Preston Franco, both of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; four stepdaughters, Marilee Hobbs, of Catskill, Jane Ursprung, of Delmar, N.Y., Arlene White, of Cairo, N.Y., Angela June, of South Cairo, N.Y.; one brother, Howard Finch, of Gilbertsville, N.Y.; 13 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. A memorial service will be held at a later date. The family suggests donations be made to Sebastian River Moose Lodge, 9250 U.S. 1, Micco, Fla. 32908 in Mr. Finch's memory. Young and Prill Funeral Home, Sebastian, is in charge of arrangements. Gene Harris L. Gene Harris, 70, of Sebastian, died Sept. 16, 1998, at his residence after a brief illness. He was born Dec. 9, 1927, in Modock, Kan., and moved to Sebastian 22 years ago from Vero Beach. Mr. Harris was an ordained minister. He was a graduate of Mesa College, Grand Junction, Colo., and Camel Mountain Bible College, Phoeniz, Ariz. He was a member and the minster of education at First Baptist Church, Wabasso. He worked for the Indian River County School District. He was the executive director for the Central Florida District Council of Carpenters. He was business manager of Carpenters of Vero Beach. He served as mayor of Sebastian from March 1986 to March of 1988. He was a former president and member of the Democratic Club of Sebastian. He was a member of the Sebastian Masonic Lodge No. 232, Free and Accepted Masons and the York Rite, Melbourne. He was a member of the Sebastian Property Owners Association, Historical Society of Sebastian and American Indian Friend. Surviving are his wife of 19 years, Patty; four sons, Gaius Wilkinson, of New Braunfels, Texas, Ted Harris, of Mansfield, Mass., and Mark Wilkinson, of Grand Junction, Colo., and Patrick Harris, of Fort Irwin, Calif.; seven daughters Rita Kanten, of Virginia Beach, Va., Lorna DiVinny, of Grand Junction, Melissa Vereecken, of Bissen, Luxembourg, Jessica Baker, of Trophy Club, Texas, Heather Cocke, of Millen, Ga., Daneal Gillespie, of New London, N.C., and Peggy James, of Tampa; three brothers, Deon Harris, of Ogden, Utah, Arlo Harris, of Washington state, and Norman Harris, of Grand Junction; one sister, Rogene Kubala, of Las Vegas, Nev.; 25 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Friends may call 6-8 p.m. today at Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian. A Masonic service will be 7:30 p.m. Friday conducted by the Sebastian Masonic Lodge No. 232, Free and Accepted Masons. The was Saturday, Sept. 19, at First Baptist Church, Wabasso. Interment was at Sebastian Cemetery, Sebastian. The family suggests donations be made to the American Cancer Society, North Indian River County Unit, P.O. Box 1749, Sebastian, Fla. 32958, or to the First Baptist Church of Wabasso, P.O. Box 246, Wabasso, Fla. 32970 in Mr. Harris' memory. Anna Jacobs Anna Jacobs, 95, of Micco, died Sept. 16, 1998, at Integrated Health Services of Palm Bay, Palm Bay, after a brief illness. She was born May 8, 1903, in Harris, Pa., and moved to Micco in 1991 from Willimantic, Conn. Mrs. Jacobs was a rewinder at American Thread Co., Willimantic. She was a member of St. Luke's Catholic Church, Barefoot Bay. Surviving are one daughter, Myrtle Gifford, of Micco; two brothers, John Horvath, of Willimantic, and Joseph Horvath, of Vernon, Conn.; seven sisters, Julia Fagan, of East Hartford, Conn., Mary Manis, of Windsor, Conn., Betty Couchon, Nellie Horvath, and Virginia Horvath, all of Willimantic, Jerry Roman, of Wethersfield, Conn., and Helen Stabach, of Norwich, Conn. At the family's request, there will be no visitation. Inurnment will be at a later date at St. Joseph's Cemetery, Willimantic. Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian, is in charge of arrangements. Raymond Raedel Raymond G. Raedel, 80, of Vero Beach, died Sept. 18, 1998, at Royal Palm Convalescent Center after an extended illness. Mr. Raedel was born Aug. 6, 1918, in Chicago, Ill., and moved to Vero Beach nine years ago from Clearwater. Mr. Raedel was a commercial artist and a Lutheran. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II as second lieutenant. Surviving are his wife, Bernice; two sons, Alan Raedel, of Sebastian, and Bret Raedel, of Barrington, Ill.; three daughters, Marilyn Hildebrandt, of Suwanee, Ga., Joyce Raedel Meinert of Atlanta, Ga., and Sherry Raedel of Atlanta; one sister, Helen Romme, of Deland, and seven grandchildren. A funeral was Monday, Sept. 21, at Living Lord Lutheran Church. Private burial services will be held at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 919 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill., 60611, in Mr. Raedel's memory. Arrangements are under the direction of Cox-Gifford Funeral Home. Wayne Fagan Wayne "J.R." Fagan, 33, of Vero Beach, died Sept. 19, 1998, at Indian River Memorial Hospital after a prolonged illness. He was born Sept. 22, 1964, in Manchester, Conn. Mr. Fagan lived in Fort Pierce and Vero Beach for 15 years, coming from Charlestown, R.I. Mr. Fagan was a self-employed carpenter on the Treasure Coast for 15 years. He is survived by his wife of nine years, Susan; his parents, Raymond and Dona Fagan, of Micco; one brother, William Fagan, of Fort Pierce; one sister, Dora Ziomek, of Mount Home, Idaho; his paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Fagan, of Hope Valley, R.I.; and his maternal grandparents, Bill and Gladys Klambt, of Fort Pierce. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1401 21st St., Vero Beach, Fla. 32960, in Mr. Fagan's memory. Aycock Feneral Home, Fort Pierce, is in charge of arrangements. 09/25/98 Letters to the Editor Page: A8 PEOPLE DO CARE ABOUT PRESIDENCY Once the Great Emancipator occupied the White House. We now have the Great Equivocator. I disagree with the opinion of Mr. Clinton's lawyers, aides, sycophants, and political pundits who feel that if the president apologizes to the American people for lying to them, all will be forgiven. That the American people don't care. Some of us do care. We care that the president has so little self-control. We care that the president allowed or encouraged the secretary of state, the vice president, and other government officials to be deluded about his innocence and to publicly support him. We care that the president used the courts to delay in every way his day of reckoning under the guise of protecting the office of the presidency. He was protecting himself. We care that while criticizing Ken Starr for the cost and length of the investigation, his foot-dragging and endless court appeals vastly increased these costs. We care that the president lied while giving a deposition after swearing under oath to tell the truth. Is lying under oath not a crime, if it is in a civil case and is apologized for at some future date or explained away in some equivocating manner? When is a lie not a lie? When is smoking marijuana not an offense? When is sex not sex? Ask Bill Clinton. Popular sports figures and media personalities are sometimes vilified for not being proper role models for our youth. Shouldn't the president of the United States, properly, be the ultimate role model for young boys and girls? This past year in Indian River County two middle-school children were arrested for engaging in the type of sexual act the president is accused of. This was after the Monica Lewinsky story had broken. Not exactly the proper role model. People are equipped with the ability to use self- control; it is what distinguishes us from beasts. Children must learn to differentiate between "appropriate behavior" and "inappropriate behavior" and when to exercise self- control. Mr. Clinton exhibited a considerable lack of judgment and self-control while carrying on his "inappropriate behavior" while at the same time Paula Jones was bringing suit against him for pressuring her to participate in allegedly similar acts. Mr. Clinton's allowing this sordid story to drag on for months has robbed many young parents of the right to discuss sexual matters with them at their own pace. Some things, such as oral sex are difficult to explain to children. If the presidency as an institution has been harmed, it is Mr. Clinton who bears the responsibility. He has disgraced his office by his behavior in it. And Mr. Clinton, we do care. Alice Russell Sebastian 09/25/98 Page: A8 CHINA TRIP A HOMECOMING Byline: Margaret Miquelon Here and There A year ago I wrote about a fantastic Sebastian couple, Betty and Harry Newman, who went to Upper Mongolia to teach for eight weeks. They even rode camels while they were there! This past summer Betty and Harry went to Hefei in AnHui Province in the middle of China, 300 miles west of Shanghai. This was the fifth summer they have taught in China, under the auspices of the English Language Institute-China, out of San Demus, Calif. The organization had a contract with the Chinese government to send 500 experienced teachers there yearly to teach Chinese teachers. The purpose of sending these teachers to China institutes was to introduce Chinese teachers, who teach English in high schools, to conversational English. Many of these teachers had never heard English spoken before. They had six weeks of just English, where they were taught to speak it through role- playing, dialogs and constant interaction. Betty and Harry teach through TPR (Total Physical Response) when they are teaching English as a second language. They say the word and do the action. Where some are slow to understand, they bring in another class to interact. Betty teaches methodology. She bonds with Harry's class. They do role-playing to act out history. Each teacher involved in the English Institute feels as if his or her class is a family. The Chinese call them "Mom" and "Dad." The Newmans had requested to be sent back to Hefei, where they started five years ago. They had a good reason for going back there. During 1985-'86 a Chinese teacher named Zhang-Xue-Ping lived with the Newmans in Statesville, N.C., where Betty was school principal. Ping lived with them, worked in Betty's school and became an integral part of their lives. Hefei is Ping's hometown and the first place Betty and Harry taught in this summer program. Ping is now vice mayor of this city of 4 million people. She is in line for the mayoral position. She was appointed by the government in Beijing. Two years ago she was named Chinese Teacher of the Year. So it was a homecoming in many ways for the Newmans and Ping to be together again. Bing Bing, Ping's daughter, is coming to live with Betty's granddaughter in the United States this fall. Even though it had been five years since Betty and Harry had taught there, several of their former students spent many hours traveling to see them and welcome them back. George rode 14 hours on a bus to spend one hour with his former teachers. A group of six former students spent one month's salary to go back to Hefei to see their teachers. The Newmans took their 33-year-old son with them this summer. Gary Newman is an environmental engineer for the state of Florida. He took time off from his job to go and experience the interaction and relationships which keep his parents going back to China year after year. Ping's parents are medical doctors in Hefei. Her father is the founder of the Red Cross Hospital there and still chief of staff. The Newmans managed to take a few side trips this time. They went to the Yellow Mountains. There is nothing like it in the United States. In Huang Shen they have hand carved granite stone steps reaching out over space, a truly spectacular sight. The Newmans got to go on a portion of the Great Wall of China that has just recently been opened to tourists. We have heard talk about government churches in China. There is a government approved church in Hefei that seats 5,000 people. It is Christian and non/denominational. The sermons are innocuous, i.e. the life of Helen Keller. The elderly and poor come to the church. They go the night before to get a seat. There are loudspeakers inside and outside so the throng can hear. People are searching in their lives and seeking spiritual meaning. At present the Newmans are back in North Carolina for six speaking engagements. Then they are going to Cuba on a medical mission. After that they will go to Dubai on the Persian Gulf to the United Arab Emirates in Saudi Arabia, to visit their daughter and son-in-law Jane and David MacKinnon. David is with Ford Motor Company. Each year I wonder what Betty and Harry Newman will do for an encore. What a wonderful life they are having! You can certainly say they have been "Here and There." 09/25/98 Page: B1 PLETHERA OF SPORTS OFFERED AT SCHOOLS Byline: Bill Valyo You have to be impressed with all the different sports that a student can get involved in while going to school. Right from the early grades, kids can pick and choose any recreation that suits their fancy. Just read the local papers and one can see the diversity of athletic programs that schools offer. Volleyball, tennis, track, soccer, field hockey and bowling join the well-known sports such as football, baseball and basketball in the plethora of teams a kid can get involved in. There are more kids on an athletic field than there are in the stands watching them perform. You wonder sometimes if there are enough kids to go around in a school that offers so many programs Do not take this as a criticism. This corner is in favor of a strong athletic program in the schools. It is a healthy situation for the school and, of course, the community. Keeping the student busy after school alleviates many problems that could develop in and around a community. Certainly the athletic programs in Sebastian schools have capable and dedicated coaches and instructors to help the kids along. We have seen Jack Hodge year after year get his squad ready for basketball play at the high school. We have witnessed up close George Young's high school baseball teams become very competitive in their district play. Not only does George teach but he becomes a groundskeeper on occasion. If you want to see a coach get the most out of his kids, you must witness Bill McCarthy and his basketball program at the Sebastian River Middle School. This writer has said time and time again that McCarthy has that special ingredient that brings his players up to their potential in a very short time. This current football season sees Randy Bethel's high school team reaching for heights that the program has not attained in the school's young pigskin history. Space doesn't allow this writer to extol all the virtues of the coaching fraternity here in Sebastian schools. It does allow me to say that parents in the area should be thankful that their kids are in "good hands" and that's an insurance policy for good citizenship in their adult lives later on. 09/25/98 Page: A1 FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: Sebastian Police Detective Joe Dillon collected a heap of stuffed animals. Ellen Brinker of the Eastern Star fraternal organization gave them to him to give children who are involved in crimes. "I think it's great," said Dillon, who accepted the toys for the department, "We don't have the resources or funds to be able to buy toys for kids. It really helps out." The cozy pile of about 50 furry little bears dressed in patchwork vests and satin ribbons were collected by the Eastern Star of Sebastian, a women's group associated with the Masons. Ellen Brinker, past grand martha of the group, said "If a great big old officer is walking toward a child, but has a stuffed animal, they won't be afraid." 09/25/98 Page: A1 Caption: Luke CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Marty Luke. AGE: 34. OCCUPATION: Medical office manager. BIRTHPLACE: Vero Beach, Fla. MOVED HERE: 1964. HOBBIES: Spending time with family and friends. FAVORITE AUTHOR:Danielle Steele. WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBORHOOD: I live in Vero Lake Estates. It's a small area that's not too populated. 09/25/98 Page: A1 WEEKEND PICKS On Sunday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. a special program will be given at the McLarty Treasure Museum. P.T. Rampy, a historic shipwreck salvor and consultant will be presenting an overview of the life-long quests of Mel Fisher. Mr. Rampy has worked with Mel Fisher and will give a first hand photographic record of original discoveries. This will include the finding, conservation and preservation of priceless and historically significant artifacts and treasures, Mr. Rampy will give an overview of the trade routes of the 15th-18th century mariners. Admission to the museum, which includes the program, is $1 for adults, with children under 6 free. The McLarty Treasure Museum is located on A1A two miles south of Sebastian Inlet. For further information call 561-589-2l47 or 407-984-4852. 09/25/98 Page: A1 WHAT DID HE SAY? "He had his heart in the right place for the city of Sebastian." - Peter Vallone Former Sebastian City Council member said about former Sebastian mayor L. Gene Harris, who died Sept. 16 at his home after a prolonged illness. 09/25/98 Page: A1 Caption: Vanessa Cooler, 10, is a first-year member of the 4-H Blue Ribbon Steer Club. She is raising Buster to show and auction off at the 1999 Firefighter's Fair in March. 4-H STEER CLUB MEMBERSARE ON THE 'MOO'VE NOW Eight-year-old Jessica Davis has named her 735-pound steer Cody. "He's a good boy," Jessica said as she stroked his furry beige nose. Six months from now, Jessica and the other 15 members of the 4-H Blue Ribbon Steer Club will auction off their cattle at the annual Firefighter's Fair. "I thought it would be fun," Jessica said. Sept. 19 marked the first official weigh-in of the steers who now must gain at least two pounds a day until the final weigh-in on March 12, the first day of the fair. Most of the steers currently weigh between 600 and 750 pounds but will grow to between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds by the time they are auctioned off. This is the first year Jessica is old enough to raise her own steer but her brother A.J., 12, is raising his fourth this year. Last year, A.J. sold his steer, A-1, for $2,500. The profits went into his college fund and now he has Steak Knife to care for. "I got into it for college money and just to learn how to do all the stuff," A.J. said. Owners generally buy the steers at the beginning of the summer for around $600. The youngsters must feed, water and groom the steers and clean out their stalls twice a day, monitor their health and exercise them regularly. That usually means getting up by 6 every morning. Vanessa Cooler, 10, is raising her first steer this year. She cares for Buster before and after she attends Pelican Island Elementary every day and on the weekends. She had seen other children showing their steers at the fair for years and always wanted to get involved. "It's pretty fun," Vanessa said. "We give him water and food morning and night, give him hay morning and night, clean his stall out, clear out a place for him to go to bed." After she sells Buster in March, she plans to buy stock in her father's company to save for college. Members learn a lot more than just how to take care of a large animal. The club members are responsible for everything that has to do with buying, managing, caring for, showing and selling the steer, including the investment or reinvestment of profits. Members learn how to choose a quality steer, patronize feed vendors and keep account of how much money is put into the animal. "You learn a lot about business, having to solicit people to buy your animal, keeping track of your financial records, calling people all the time," Robert Cox said. Sun-Ag/Fellsmere Farms donates many of the steers up front, charging members just 48 cents per pound gained after the members have sold the steer. And Farm Credit loans money to 4-H steer club members to cover the costs of buying and caring for the animal. So applying for credit, keeping accounts and paying back loans are some of the very practical things these children learn while raising a steer. There's no guarantee that members will make back the money they've invested so they have to be willing to take the risk. "There's a whole lot to it," club adviser Wesley Davis said. "You see the kids, they just grow so much. They mature and you see them really come a long way. It builds character, it builds confidence and hopefully they'll make a little money." And at the end of it all, the youngsters must let go of an animal for whichthey have cared for nearly a year. "They tell us at the beginning that it's just a project, it's not a pet," Liz Patterson said. "It's all money for college." Robert, a Sebastian River High School junior, is raising his third steer this year. Last year, after his steer, Roscoe, placed first in his weight class, First National Bank bought the steer for about $3 a pound and donated the meat to a local homeless shelter. "The first year is probably the toughest because you don't know what's going on," Robert said. "Then it just gets easier as it goes on. Most of the money goes into my college fund and the rest goes into investing in another steer." Most of the members don't come from farming families as one might expect. While some do keep horses and most live on large pieces of property, members get involved in the club because they want to learn about business and earn some money for college. Plus, it's fun. "It's a big responsibility but they really have a lot of fun with it," Blue Ribbon leader Tonya Davis said. Mrs. Davis raised three steers when she was a teen-ager. One for Sebastian River Middle School, one for Vero Beach High School and one for herself. There are four steer clubs in Indian River County with a total of 34 members. The 4-H steer clubs have been operating in Indian River for about 19 years, according to Davis. It's often a family affair, with older siblings inspiring younger ones to get involved. Liz is a junior at Sebastian River and is raising her sixth steer, Round-up. "My sister and brother were in it before I was old enough to do it and I just had an interest," Liz said. "I think when I get out of college I'd like to be a game warden." Parents also are heavily involved, giving advice, helping with the chores and hauling the steers to the weigh-ins and fairs. In addition to raising the steer, members attend meetings twice a month, help organize and run a 4-H fund-raiser and give a demonstration on an agricultural topic in front of their club. Besides the Firefighter's Fair, many members show their steers at fairs and agricultural shows around the state. 09/25/98 Page: A1 Caption: Several local Girl Scouts learned a lesson in life recently as they worked together to help those less fortunate. From left, Girl Scouts Cassie Kirkland, Gina Mossali, Kendra Trainor and shop owner Marilou Keen work on Comfort Caps Saturday at the Crafts by Marilous shop in Wabasso. The scouts, along with about 14 adults, helped make 105 of the caps, which will be given to the American Cancer Society for distribution to patients who have lost their hair to cancer treatments. The girls helped cut the fabric and sewed the caps. The girls, part of the Palm Glades Girl Scout Council, did not earn any points for merit badges, but will gain them for community service. SCOUTING: FINDING A WAY TO HELP Byline: By MIKE WALTON Sun Editor It borders on the cliche that scouts are supposed to help members of their community, just think of the image of the girl or boy helping someone cross a street. But in the fast-paced world of computers and cars, that cliche begins to wear thin and the opportunities aren't always as obvious as they once were. So when the co-leader of Girl Scout Cadet Troop No. 211, Nancy Mossali, heard that volunteers were needed to help make caps for people who have lost their hair due to cancer treatments, it seemed like a natural fit. "Marilou (Keen) told us about this project and she thought it would be a good idea if the Girl Scouts got involved and we thought so too," Mossali said. Mossali's two daughters, Gina and Leah, along with Kari Dabrowski, take sewing lessons at Crafts by Marilou in Wabasso, and that was where Keen told them about the project. Keen is a dealer of sewing machines made by the Husqvarna Viking Corp., which has pledged to produce 100,000 of the soft material caps to be distributed by the American Cancer Society, Keen said. Like the Cancer Society, the Palm Glades Girl Scout Council, of which the Charon Service Unit is a part, is a United Way agency and that was more than enough connection for Mossali and Keen to make. So several Girl Scouts from Mossali's troop, of which daughter Gina belongs, and more from Junior Troop 211, of which Leah and Kari belong, gathered Saturday, Sept. 19, at the store to help adult volunteers that included Kari's mother, Patty Dabrowski, to cut fabric from patterns and sew the hats. "I was amazed at how many people wanted to help," Keen said, explaining that she had hoped to produce 100 of the caps. "We ended up with 105," she said, all made during the store's regular 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday hours. Keen said 14 adults showed up at her shop that day, which she said is called National Comfort Cap Day, and some even brought their own sewing machines to add to those already at the store. The adults were joined by two cadets and five junior scouts, Mossali said. "We had just asked girls from our two troops, who could cut fabric or sew and could come Saturday," she said. While Gina and Leah were able to help sew on the caps because of their training at the store, the other girls helped by cutting fabric and measuring and cutting the elastic that is put into the caps. Although the work they did that day will not go toward a merit badge, Mossali said, the girls will gain points for community service. Along with the points, they also learn a lesson for life. 09/25/98 Page: A3 TREASURE SALVOR TO TALK AT MCLARTY SUNDAY Byline: BRIEF On Sunday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. a special program will be given at the McLarty Treasure Museum. P.T. Rampy, a historic shipwreck salvor and consultant will be presenting an overview of the life-long quests of Mel Fisher, Mr. Rampy has worked with Mel Fisher and will give a first hand photographic record of original discoveries. This will include the finding, conservation and preservation of priceless and historically significant artifacts and treasures, Mr. Rampy will give an overview of the trade routes of the 15th-18th century mariners, trials and tribulations of the salvage community and the current and future ventures. Admission to the museum, which includes the program, is $1 for adults, with children under 6 free. The McLarty Treasure Museum is located on A1A two miles south of Sebastian Inlet. For further information call 561-589-2l47 or 407-984-4852. 09/25/98 Page: A6 NAMI ORGANIZES VIGIL SCHEDULED IN OCTOBER Byline: BRIEF National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Indian River County, a nonprofit organization of families who have been affected by mental illness, has made plans for the Mental Health Awareness Week in October. A candlelight vigil will take place Oct. 4. For more information, call Dr. Beverly Whiteley, 569-2046. 09/25/98 Page: B1 Caption: Ten-year-old Katrina Eromin will represent Sebastian at the first USTA Florida/Georgia Championship Challenge tennis tournament in Jacksonville in October. GIRL HAS BALL WITH TENNIS Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun The first time Katrina Eromin was on a tennis court she was two months old, snug in the shade of her stroller while her parents, Linda and Jack Eromin, played a few matches. Now the 10-year-old is playing as well, getting ready to represent Sebastian in the first United States Tennis Association Florida/Georgia Championship tennis tournament in Jacksonville in October. "I'm really active and I'm not the kind of person who likes to sit around watching TV," Katrina said. "I like being physically fit and I like to have fun. Tennis is fun." While the fourth-grader has played the game since she was 5, she only began competing this summeras a member of a USTA/Florida District 15, 12-and-under team. Her first real taste came in August, when she competed in the USTA State Championships in Lakeland with her team. The true test of her commitment to the sport came early this summer when she had to choose between playing tennis or continuing in ballet, another thing she had been doing for five years. But her love of competition won out and Katrina will now practice with her coach at least two times a week and play in at least one tournament a month. "I just thought I liked tennis better," Katrina said. It was only natural for Katrina to be interested in tennis. Her parents have played several times a week since they met 19 years ago. They gave her a child-sized tennis racket as soon as she could hold it. "I watched my parents play," Katrina said. "It's a pretty neat sport." She started taking lessons at an area tennis club five years ago and this year began attending clinics run by Sebastian River High School girls tennis coach John Danise. "He saw her hit and said maybe she should play team tennis in the summertime," Mrs. Eromin said. "She did that and she enjoyed it ... so now she's going to get, I think, a little more serious about it." There's a big difference between playing for recreation and playing for competition. The stakes get higher, so opponents play tougher. "It's a little harder but I enjoy it," Katrina said. "I feel happy when I win but when I lose, I know it's just a game. It doesn't bother me." Katrina also has had to learn how to play in front of a crowd, dealing with her nervousness while trying to play her best. "I just try hard to not make it effect me," Katrina said. "And then I go on the court and I try to play as best as I can. Sometimes it works." While the forehand is her best swing, she believes she's made good improvement with her volleying, thanks to the increased practice and gentle techniques of Danise. There's a wide range of skills in her age group, Katrina said, which helps her to improve her own game. "It's amazing," Katrina said. "If they're really good, ... they carry you along. That can help a lot. But sometimes I carry my partner along." Traveling to tournaments allows Katrina to meet children her age from all over the state who have the same interest she does. Tennis gives her an instant connection, which sometimes results in a new friendship. "She didn't know the people she was going to play with (at the Lakeland tournament)," Mrs. Eromin said. "What was wonderful was these people were great. We hope we meet them again in Jacksonville. I really think it's good to meet new people with similar interests." Playing competitively this summer has improved her skills so much, she often faces off with her mom and has partnered with her to beat her dad a time or two. "She and I challenge her dad on Monday afternoons," Mrs. Eromin said. "So it's like the two of us against him and I think we've beaten him twice. That's fun, we love it." Katrina is even helping her mother improve her own game by teaching her some of the techniques and strategies she's learned. "I've learned so much from her," Mrs. Eromin said. "I'll do tennis homework with her. We'll go out there and do it together." While the Eromins are proud whenever Katrina works hard and does her best, they like tennis for the life lessons they offer to their child. "I think it's a wonderful sport," Mrs. Eromin said. "I think being physically fit is extremely important, it builds self-esteem and confidence. It's very important that your child is not bored and has an interest in something." 09/25/98 Page: B1 Caption: The Sebastian Panthers senior football team is using the Wing-T, three-back offense, so players will be prepared to play at Sebastian River High School. PANTHERS FOOTBALL TAKES FLIGHT UNDER NEW WING-T OFFENSE Byline: Linda Rothstein Of The Sun On their first possession of the home-opener against West Melbourne Sept. 19, the Sebastian Panthers senior team looked a lot like the Sebastian River Sharks. Running out of the Wing-T offense, running backs Donny Jobe, Mike Rizzo and Al Green combined for 39 yards and a touchdown in just four plays. After his fellow running backs advanced the ball with solid gains to the Cowboy 23-yard line, Green popped through the middle and rounded the right corner, speeding past defenders for the 23-yard score. "I like (the Wing-T), it's fun," Green said. "You can do so many things out of the Wing-T. You can open up a lot of stuff, too." And while the Panthers eventually lost the close game 12-6, they showed their growing mastery of the complicated offense that SRHS head coach Randy Bethel instituted at the high school last season. "I think they're adapting to (the Wing-T) well," Panthers coach Don Jones said. "I think the kids appreciate the fact that we're trying to do it." As last year's football coordinator for the Panthers and a volunteer coach at the high school, George Zaleuke saw the logic in training the senior Panthers in the offense so many will use when they enter high school. "I'm doing it for selfish reasons because next year, when I have these kids, every one of them can come up and run our offense," Zaleuke said. "And that just puts us worlds ahead in spring football." He began introducing elements of the Wing-T to the seniors last year and this year, the seniors have adopted a simplified version of the high school's play book. "It's a basic Wing-T, we're running basic stuff," Zaleuke said. "Next year when we get them at the high school, then we'll be able to add to what they already know." The Wing-T utilizes three running backs in an arc behind the quarterback under center. It gives the quarterback many options with the ball and uses deception to throw off the defense. "I like the Wing-T ... because everything is down-blocking and everything is misdirection, so it's very hard for a defense to read that," Zaleuke said. Panthers coaches are also putting in other sets, such as the I-formation, so players will have a wider understanding of the game and the high school coaches will have more options on offense. Because there is no longer a middle school football program, the Panthers are the only feeder program for the high school. "When I go to the high school, I'm going to need to know it anyway," Rizzo said. Many of the current SRHS varsity players played Panthers football and often attend the Saturday games at Barber Street. Larry Taylor watches the seniors play, some of whom might be on the high school's junior varsity team next year. He started in the Peewees, graduated through the ranks and is currently the leading rusher at Sebastian River. He was part of a senior Panthers team that won the Brevard Youth Football Association Superbowl and included other SRHS standouts such as Brandon Jacobs, Brian Huston and Terrell Colson. Watching the seniors, he recognized some of the plays he runs as a Shark and agreed that learning it at that level would have helped him progress faster at the high school. Bethel also is pleased with Zaleuke's and Jones' efforts to teach the seniors the intricate offense because he will get players who are a step ahead of those who've never seen it before. "I think it will help me get a head start for next year," Jobe said. After more than a year with the Wing-T, Bethel believes his varsity team is just beginning to master it and is glad many of next year's freshmen will already have some experience with it. "The Wing-T is a two- to three-year progression," Zaleuke said. "Once the kids totally understand the offense, then we can get into it. (Bethel) didn't have that advantage when he came in. He started the Wing-T up there with no feeder program at all." The senior Panthers are also encouraged to watch SRHS practices and to attend Sharks home games, getting reinforcement in what they've learned by seeing it played at a higher level. "I want to play at the high school," Green said. "I'm happy I'll know the offense. It will give me a head start and it gets me thinking about what I need to do." Panthers quarterback Brandon Neely is learning to use some of the deception integral to the Wing-T. In the game against West Melbourne, Neely successfully used a fake hand-off, hiding the ball on his hip, to give his receivers time to get open. "(The Wing-T) can be different on every play," Neely said. The defense keyed on the running backs while Neely sprinted to the left sideline and found wide receiver Freddie Bass downfield for a 14-yard reception. The Panthers seem to like the Wing-T, using it successfully in the first game of the season for a 19-6 victory over West Melbourne. "(The Wing-T) works but if somebody misses a block, and that's in any formation, it's dead," Green said. END